Month: September 2026

Unseeded Michelsen came into the match in fine form, having not dropped a set at the tournament prior to facing Tiafoe, and grasped the momentum in the first set.

After the pair traded breaks of serve early in the match, Michelsen got the deciding break at 6-5 in a set where he fired 15 winners to Tiafoe’s four.

Michelsen continued to have the upper hand, with his backhand proving decisive on key points and, after taking the second set, he went up a break early in the third.

It was not until Michelsen was serving for the match at 5-4 that nerves began to hit. He served two double faults and Tiafoe broke to level, won the set and took the opening three games of the fourth set.

After holding Michelsen off, Tiafoe took the match to a deciding set where the pair traded multiple breaks of serve – invigorating the spectators on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

A fan favourite, Tiafoe thrived off the energy of the New York crowd as he then got the better of the tie-break to seal his fourth five-set victory at a major in 2026.

“He’s a great guy for consoling me in that moment,” said Michelsen of their post-match embrace.

“I was trying to keep it together, and I didn’t do a good job of that. He was saying a lot of nice personal things.

“I’ve got a lot of time to grow physically and mentally. I’m going to be here again. I know it.”

Tiafoe is hoping to reach the final at Flushing Meadows for the first time, following defeats by Alcaraz in 2022 and Taylor Fritz in 2024.

UNITED NATIONS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making a whirlwind 24-hour trip to speak at the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders this month because “there is no option” after New York’s mayor urged his arrest over the war in Gaza, Israel’s U.N. envoy said Tuesday.

Ambassador Danny Danon accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani of “doing politics” when he called the prime minister a “war criminal” and called for his arrest, which he had to withdraw because New York City does not have authority to take Netanyahu into custody.

“You know, it became very trendy to do politics by blaming Israel,” Danon added. He stressed, “For us, it’s important the prime minister will come.”

Netanyahu has become an increasingly polarizing figure over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Mamdani, whose office did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Tuesday, has pointed to the arrest warrant issued by the world’s top war crimes tribunal against Netanyahu in November 2024, accusing him and another Israeli official of crimes against humanity.

The International Criminal Court warrant said there was reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a weapon of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeting civilians in the campaign against Hamas — charges Israel denies.

While New York City does not have legal authority to execute an ICC arrest warrant, Mamdani has encouraged the federal government to do so. The U.S. and Israel are not members of the court, and the Trump administration has imposed a series of sanctions on ICC staffers in a campaign to dismantle the tribunal.

Netanyahu is scheduled to arrive in New York late on Sept. 23, address the U.N. General Assembly the afternoon of Sept. 24 and fly back to Israel that night, Danon said.

Danon noted that the meeting of leaders from the 193 U.N. member nations is taking place during the Jewish holidays and an election campaign as Netanyahu tries to keep his job as prime minister.

Danon said protests against Netanyahu would “create more chaos” on New York streets during the high-level meetings the week of Sept. 22-28.

Last year, there was a mass walkout from the U.N. General Assembly hall when Netanyahu started to speak from the podium. This year, Danon said, “I expect that there will be something like another show.”

But the ambassador said Netanyahu is experienced, “and I’m sure he will deliver his speech despite those attempts.”

Cheryl looks poised to replace Sir Tom Jones on The Voice following his explosive statement on his axing and the latest bookies odds which seem to be in her favour

Cheryl looks poised to replace Sir Tom Jones on The Voice. The former Girls Aloud star, 42, has taken time out of the spotlight in recent years but, almost 20 years after she joined The X Factor, it’s thought that she could be about to become a TV talent show judge all over again.

It all comes just days after it emerged that music legend Tom, 86, who first appeared on The Voice in 2012, had been axed from his position and made it clear that he didn’t want to leave.

A source told The Sun: “They adore Tom but felt Cheryl Tweedy would be better suited taking his seat. Talks were ongoing with both of them but everyone knew Tom was the backup option in case Cheryl fell through.”

The insider went on to claim that the whole situation could’ve been dealt with better and alleged that Tom’s fans have been left “furious” by the whole thing.

It comes as bookmaker Coral has priced up the contenders to join the new coaching panel on The Voice UK, with former I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! star Aitch long odds-on at 1-8 and Cheryl even shorter at 1-10 to take one of the hot seats.

With ITV reportedly planning a major shake-up to the hit singing show, Coral makes Olly Murs 6-1 to be signed up, Rita Ora can be backed at 8-1 and Jess Glynne is 10-1.

“The odds suggest Aitch and Cheryl look very likely to join the new-look coaching panel on the next series of The Voice. Both have been popular in our betting, and it would be a big surprise if they did not appear on the red seats next year,” said Coral’s John Hill.

In his post, Tom said he was ‘not thrilled’ by what ITV have offered him. He wrote: “To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice as I love the show and really appreciate the audience. “ITV made this decision – obviously a while ago, and I was just told recently.

“The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance. They now say in the press they want to ‘refresh’ the show, and a new coaching line-up there wouldn’t be a chair for me.

“They are offering a much-reduced role where I would make an appearance but without being actually involved from the start, and I’m not thrilled about that. So the only thing I know right now is that there’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job.”

A spokesperson for The Voice told the Mirror: “We have loved working with Sir Tom Jones over the past nine years on The Voice UK. While he will no longer be a full-time coach on series 15, we continue to talk to Sir Tom and his team about his involvement in the next series.”

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“You’ve left everyone here stranded. You could’ve cancelled this flight hours ago which would’ve given many vulnerable people here half a chance,” one passenger wrote on X

British Airways has been accused of leaving passengers stranded in Italy after thousands of flights were cancelled across the UK.

Tens of thousands of people were impacted on Tuesday after a technical issue by National Air Traffic Services (Nats) grounded flights.

Among the carriers affected by the air traffic control issue was British Airways (BA) – with a number of passengers taking to social media to complain about the situation.

Among them was Simon Weeks, who said he, along with others, had been left stranded in Italy for hours without any update from the airline.

Sharing a letter he received from BA late in the evening, the Brit claimed “all hotels” in the port city of Brindisi were now “fully booked”.

He added: “You’ve left everyone here stranded. You could’ve cancelled this flight hours ago which would’ve given many vulnerable people here half a chance.”

BA said it was forced to cancel or divert more than 100 flights on Tuesday, which had impacted “tens of thousands of customers”.

Passengers received a letter from the carrier apologising for the inconvenience, but were left to find a place to sleep themselves.

The statement read: “We’re sorry that your flight has been delayed overnight… We don’t underestimate the inconvenience this will cause.”

It continued: “We’re sorry, but we’re unable to provide you with accommodation, and you need to make your own arrangements.”

“You can submit a claim to us with your receipts and we will reimburse reasonable accommodation costs.”

The disruptions, expected to continue into Wednesday, impacted travel at airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is set to speak with Nats’ chief executive officer Martin Rolfe on Wednesday before she addresses MPs in the Commons for the second reading of the Civil Aviation Bill.

Rolfe has said he “always accept(s) full responsibility” when asked if he was considering his position after the incident.

He told Sky News: “I am the CEO of a piece of critical infrastructure, so it is my job to take responsibility for that.

“What I absolutely take responsibility for is keeping people safe and delivering the best service we possibly can on a day like today.

“You will understand my focus is entirely about how we actually resolve this issue, get things back to normal, help our airlines, our airport customers and the travelling public.”

WASHINGTON — It should have been the safest of political appearances — a group of kids gushing about their love of science and space exploration with Vice President Kamala Harris.

But for Harris, it became a controversy.

The children, it turned out, were paid actors. And the video, filmed on location at the White House and the vice president’s official residence at the Naval Observatory, was promoted on NASA’s YouTube Channel and Harris’ Twitter account last week without making that clear.

The fallout over the video, produced for YouTube’s original programming platform, is the second in recent weeks where a seemingly innocuous appearance by Harris has become modestly troublesome.

Late last month, Harris generated more serious consternation and criticism from pro-Israel Democrats and media for not pushing back when a student at a classroom encounter at George Mason University in Virginia accused Israel of “ethnic genocide.” Harris spent the next several days clarifying her longstanding support for Israel and reaching out to pro-Israel organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League.

Such stumbles have been featured extensively in conservative media, where Harris is a regular target. But they also reinforce concerns among Democrats that Harris has not yet found her political footing since taking office amid high expectations. The presumed front-runner to succeed President Biden on the Democratic ticket in 2024 or 2028, Harris recently enlisted two veteran Democrats to help stabilize her communications efforts.

Harris’ office and NASA would not discuss the decision-making process that led to her participation in the YouTube Original or the administration’s marketing of the special, which was produced by a Canada-based company called Sinking Ship Entertainment.

Harris’s office did not select the children who participated in the YouTube Originals special, a White House official said. A YouTube spokesperson said that “the casting process for this show was no different from typical unscripted kids’ shows across other networks and streaming platforms.”

The special debuted during World Space Week. It features NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough giving five children the clues for a scavenger hunt that takes them to the U.S. Naval Observatory, where they not-so casually run into Harris, who welcomes them onto the porch of the vice presidential residence.

While sitting in a white chair alongside the children, Harris reminisces about going to the lab with her scientist mother during her childhood and says she is excited to chair the National Space Council. She offers advice to the children about showing their true selves.

“Never let anybody tell you who you are,” she tells them. “You tell them who you are.”

Like many online productions, the special has the feel of something between a kids’-oriented news segment and a scripted show. The children, who introduce themselves with their hometowns, act surprised and excited as they meet the real-life astronaut and the vice president.

Earlier this week, one of the children who appeared in the video described in detail his audition process to KSBW TV in Salinas, which sparked mockery online and news coverage. Harris’ appearance drew especially sharp critiques in conservative news outlets. Fox News, in its coverage, has tried to draw a comparison to the criticism unleashed on former President Trump after his 2015 campaign launch in which he paid people to act like supporters.

Appearing as a guest on Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s show, commentator Candace Owens falsely told viewers that Harris paid children to appear in the special.

White House officials have a long history of appearing as themselves in scripted shows, often with children. First Lady Nancy Reagan promoted her anti-drug message on the popular 1980s sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes,” and then-President Obama participated in a televised sketch alongside comedy duo Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

The difference this time was that the show’s format was ambiguous, and its presentation and promotion by Harris and NASA led commentators to believe it had been produced by the government.

Communications consultants said the vice president’s staff should have more thoroughly vetted the program and ensured it was clearly labeled as a reality show with paid actors when the U.S. government promoted it.

Ultimately, Harris’ staff let her down, they said.

“The vice president and the president can’t do their own vetting on things like this,” said Kevin Madden, who served in senior communications roles for Mitt Romney’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns.

Madden added that Harris should not have participated in the program with paid actors, especially “in an era where there is a very high quotient of fake news and misinformation, you have to expect this kind of scrutiny.”

“The criticism [here] becomes warranted,” he said.

US military says it struck the five Iranian tankers after IRGC targeted a US warship twice in two days.

The United States has claimed attacks on five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island after accusing Iran of launching ballistic missiles at a US warship twice in two days.

Iran responded to the attacks on Tuesday by firing missiles at US forces stationed at the Al Azraq base in Jordan. Amman said its air defences intercepted and destroyed 18 of 20 Iranian missiles, while the rest fell in open areas.

The exchange of fire comes amid escalating tensions in the Gulf, six months into the US and Israel’s war on Iran, with Tehran maintaining the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Washington imposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

The hostilities briefly drove oil prices to $99.46 earlier on Tuesday.

In a statement, the US Central Command said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had targeted a US warship twice over the past two days. The warship “successfully evaded the attempted Iranian attacks” and “no American personnel were harmed”, it said.

The Central Command said it retaliated by destroying the Iranian oil carriers, M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, and M/T Riesco in the Gulf of Oman as well as M/T Derya near Kharg Island.

“American forces directed the crews to abandon ship before the vessels were struck and rendered inoperable,” the Central Command added.

Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster confirmed the attack near Kharg Island in the Gulf, which handled some 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports before the war. It reported that the crew was evacuated and said a second tanker was hit near the southern port of Jask on the Gulf of Oman.

The IRGC also said “several” Iranian commercial ships were hit, and said it retaliated by subjecting Al Azraq base in Jordan to “fierce missile strikes”. It claimed hangars used by US fighter jets were destroyed in the ballistic missile attacks.

It went on to claim ballistic missile attacks on the US Navy DDG-119 and DDG-53 destroyers, saying “significant damage was caused to these vessels”.

The IRGC also threatened to target oil tankers in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports, warning crews there to evacuate immediately.

“We warn all the crews of oil tankers in the Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports… to immediately abandon their vessels, whether at anchor or at the ports, because they will be targeted,” it said.

Jordan’s Armed Forces, meanwhile, said its air defences engaged 20 ballistic missiles, “successfully intercepting and destroying 18 of them”. Two missiles “fell in unpopulated areas,” it said in a statement.

The attacks did not cause any casualties and specialised teams “have begun securing the locations where debris and shrapnel fell,” it added.

Earlier, the chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Ali Abdollahi, had warned that Tehran would strike US military installations across the region if Iranian tankers were targeted.

“The US aggressor army has given Iranian oil tankers an evacuation warning to hit them, so I announce that any attack on Iranian oil tankers will result in the targeting of US bases in the region by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Abdollahi said on state TV.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, said Washington would continue to strike Iranian ships.

“Iran continues to try to hit US naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they’re going to lose tankers,” Rubio told reporters on a visit to Colombia.

AMMAN: Jordan’s army said Wednesday it shot down 18 missiles from Iran targeting the US-allied kingdom.

“Jordan’s air defense systems engaged 20 ballistic missiles launched toward Jordanian territory, successfully intercepting and destroying 18 of them, while two missiles fell in unpopulated areas,” the army said in a statement, adding that they came from Iran.

SHARON Osbourne has launched a High Court bid to remove her late hubby Ozzy’s long-term accountant as an executor of his will. 

Papers lodged yesterday show the rocker’s widow, 73, issued a claim against Colin Newman under a law used to remove or replace estate representatives. 

Ozzy died in July last year aged 76, weeks after a farewell gig with Black Sabbath in his home city of Birmingham.

His wife and two other executors, her niece Georgina Maszlin and assistant Melinda Varga, now want Mr Newman removed from administering his ex-client’s estimated £100million fortune.  

He had looked after the couple’s finances since before they married in 1982 and is one of the most senior money men in the UK music industry.  

Companies House records show he was a director of Ozzy’s main UK firm, Monowise Ltd, for years before quitting in April. 

SCREEN QUEENS

Olivia Attwood & Amanda Holden lead the NTAs glam as stars hit the red carpet

PAYING THE PRICE

Katie Price reveals NTAs nightmare as she’s ditched by glam squad

Sharon was appointed director last December, five months after Ozzy’s death, with the firm officially controlled by the “estate of John Michael Osbourne” — Ozzy’s real name.  

Judges can remove an executor for a variety of reasons, including if they have already been involved in the will but then later decide to step away.  

It is not clear if Mr Newman is contesting the application or if he has agreed to stand aside. 

He first met Sharon while working as a junior accountant for her father, notorious rock manager Don Arden.  

He is credited on several of Ozzy’s albums and they were long-term pals.  

The rocker is once said to have burst into his accountant’s Soho office swinging a dead rabbit and spraying blood on the walls.  

Ozzy also slept on a park bench opposite Mr Newman’s house in 1984 instead of going to the hospital where Sharon was about to give birth to their daughter Kelly. 

Mr Newman, 79, also acted as former X Factor judge Sharon’s literary agent. 

He and Sharon’s legal representatives were invited to comment. 

New York: Frances Tiafoe rallied from two sets down — and 3-0 down in the fifth set — to edge 22-year-old Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10/6) and reach the US Open semi-finals on Tuesday.

American 11th seed Tiafoe had all he could handle from his 22-year-old compatriot, who hadn’t dropped a set in reaching the first Grand Slam quarter-final of his career.

But in a match of swinging momentum shifts, Tiafoe battled back from 5-3 down in the third set and recovered an early break in the fifth to reach his third US Open semi-final in five years.

Tiafoe clinched it in the 10-point match tiebreaker after four hours and 38 minutes, Michelsen weeping in the victor’s arms as they met at the net.

Tiafoe will face either defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or eighth-seeded American Ben Shelton for a place in Sunday’s championship match.

Michelsen came out swinging on Arthur Ashe Stadium against an uncharacteristically passive Tiafoe, who usually feeds on the energy of the crowd.

But when Michelsen found himself serving for the match at 5-4 in the third, his nerves betrayed him. Two double faults helped Tiafoe break back, and Tiafoe strung together seven straight games to close out the third set and seize control of the fourth.

Michelsen, who has yet to win a title on the ATP Tour, responded with an early break in the fifth set, but Tiafoe refused to fold.

“He gave me some gifts, a couple of double faults there,” Tiafoe said of his narrow escape in the third set.

“But then I slowly started to get my rhythm there, snuck out third set and slowly started playing better and better.

“But he is a hell of a player,” Tiafoe added. “He should have easily won today.”

When he had completed the comeback Tiafoe flung his arms into the air, then consoled a weeping Michelsen at the net.

“I was like, man, I know, I’ve been there,” Tiafoe told ESPN. “I know how much that hurts.”

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is demanding testimony before a Florida grand jury in an investigation aiming to establish an intelligence community conspiracy against President Trump, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

New subpoenas being issued to former government officials represent an escalation in the yearlong investigation as the Justice Department pursues a loosely defined theory that members of the intelligence community who scrutinized Trump over the last decade, including over Russian interference in the 2016 election, conspired against him and violated his rights.

Investigators in recent days contacted some defense lawyers for witnesses advising them of forthcoming grand jury subpoenas. It was not clear how many, as of Tuesday, had received a subpoena or were still waiting to receive one, and the identities of the witnesses receiving subpoenas were also not immediately clear. The people who confirmed the subpoenas spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a secretive grand jury investigation.

The investigation has focused in large part on the Trump-Russia probe

The contours of the conspiracy investigation aren’t fully known, but agents and prosecutors over the last several months have focused intensely on one of Trump’s chief grievances: the U.S. government response to Russian interference in 2016 and an intelligence community assessment that Moscow meddled on Trump’s behalf at the direction of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump, who spent much of his first term shadowed by an investigation into whether his campaign colluded with Russia to sway the outcome of the election, has for years lashed out at the intelligence community finding and cast it as a “deep state” conspiracy to undermine the legitimacy of his win.

Investigators searching for potential crimes in connection with the intelligence community response have conducted numerous voluntary interviews, but the subpoenas prepared for witnesses in recent days represent an apparent effort to lock down sworn testimony before a grand jury.

It remains unclear whether anyone will be charged or for what offense, though lawyers for former CIA Director John Brennan have said they have been informed that he is a target as investigators examine whether he falsely testified to Congress — something he has repeatedly denied. The Justice Department last spring subpoenaed witnesses before a Washington grand jury as part of an investigation into Brennan but swiftly withdrew the subpoenas in favor of voluntary interviews.

The investigation is being run out of Florida, with the Justice Department in April bringing back into government service a top prosecutor from the Reagan administration, Joe diGenova, to serve as a counselor to the attorney general and help lead a team of agents and prosecutors.

DiGenova, who had previously asked then-Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi to appoint him to the job and has openly and repeatedly claimed Trump was the victim of an intelligence community conspiracy, declined to comment Wednesday when reached by the Associated Press.

In an indication of the wide-ranging nature of the investigation, the AP reported last month that DiGenova’s team has sought interviews with law enforcement officials involved in the 2022 FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Fla., which recovered a trove of classified documents.

Concerns from defense lawyers about a ‘favored’ judge

Investigators have set up shop in Fort Pierce, Fla., the home court of U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, the Trump-appointed jurist who repeatedly appeared skeptical of the classified documents case against him and ultimately dismissed it after concluding that the prosecutor who filed the charges was illegally appointed.

Lawyers for Brennan last year asked the chief judge of the federal court in Florida to prevent the investigation from being steered to Cannon, whom they described as a “favored” Trump judge. They have since sued the Trump administration, demanding a court order requiring prosecutors to preserve records from the investigation so that Brennan could challenge any potential prosecution of him as vindictive.

Trump came to office in 2017 under scrutiny from the intelligence and law enforcement community about whether his successful campaign had colluded with Russia, which stole politically damaging Democratic emails and orchestrated their release through WikiLeaks as part of a wide-ranging interference scheme.

The FBI and Justice Department investigated but found insufficient evidence to prove a criminal conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign, though investigators did find the campaign eagerly hoped to benefit from Moscow’s help.

Subsequent investigations by an inspector general and Justice Department prosecutors identified errors by agents who conducted the Russia probe but found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing by senior law enforcement officials or an anti-Trump conspiracy like what prosecutors are now hoping to prove.

Deeply frustrated by those outcomes, Trump has amplified his demands for retribution, which the Justice Department heeded last year by directing that prosecutors utilize a grand jury. Last year, Bondi directed prosecutors to put evidence before a grand jury after the release of documents aimed at calling into question the legitimacy of the Trump-Russia inquiry.

Tucker writes for the Associated Press.

Defensive lineman Aaron Donald will not travel with the Rams to Melbourne to play in their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, coach Sean McVay said Tuesday.

Donald, who rejoined the Rams last month after a two-year retirement, wouldn’t confirm if he was planning to play in the season opener when asked multiple times by reporters on Monday, only saying he was “feeling really good. Feeling great.”

The development isn’t surprising considering McVay and his assistants weren’t pushing Donald to play. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said Monday that the team was taking a “day-to-day” approach regarding Donald’s status.

“I think he’ll be ready to go sooner rather than later, but we’re making a decision that we think is best for him and for our team,” McVay said. “He’s attacked this the right way, but it would have been a really quick turnaround.”

One person who might be surprised about Donald not playing is 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. He told reporters Sunday he “definitely” expected Donald to play.

Rams players and staff are scheduled to leave Los Angeles for Melbourne on Tuesday night, arriving in Australia on Thursday morning. The game will take place on Friday at 10:35 a.m. local time (5:35 p.m. PDT Thursday), with the Rams planning to fly back to L.A. soon afterward.

Barring any setback, Donald should play Sept. 21 when the Rams face the New York Giants at SoFi Stadium.

One player who is expected to take the field at Melbourne Cricket Ground is Myles Garrett. McVay said the star defensive end will be “ready to go” after a left knee problem kept him out of practice for multiple weeks before he returned Sunday.

“We’ve been smart with Myles … but his impact has been tremendous, his overall vibe, what kind of teammate he’s been,” McVay said. “And so looking forward to getting him out there with the guys and being a great factor for us.”

Garrett did not practice Tuesday, but said he feels “ready” to play.

In addition to Garrett, cornerback Jaylen Watson also appeared on the Rams’ first injury report of the season after not practicing because of a toe injury.

ROME: Syria’s future constitution should guarantee the equality and inclusion of all religious minorities to stem emigration, a Syrian minister told AFP on Tuesday.

“We have to have a new constitution, which includes everybody, and (in which) everybody is equal under the law,” Syria’s Social Affairs and Labour Minister Hind Kabawat told AFP.

Kabawat is the only woman and only Christian in the Islamist transition government headed up by Ahmed Al-Sharaa set up after the 2024 fall of former president Bashar Assad.

The transition parliament set up since Al-Sharaa came to power has the task of coming up with a new constitution.

Syria, a majority Sunni Muslim country, is home to one of the world’s oldest Christian communities.

There are also sizeable Alawite, Druze, Ismaili and Kurdish minorities.

The number of Christians has plunged — going down from around a million before the start of the civil war in 2011 — to around 300,000 people, according to experts.

Kabawat said the departure of Christians started long before Assad’s fall.

“I felt the acceleration since the massacres of Hama in the 1980s. Many Christians decided to leave. We used to be 15 percent, then 9 percent, then 4 percent,” she said.

Asked whether the departures had sped up since the fall of Assad, Kabawat said Syrians from different communities were still leaving.

“They’re worried, and they don’t know what kind of government this is,” she said, adding that the government needed to do more to show it was “inclusive.”

Kabawat is in Rome to meet Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday with around 20 Muslim and Christian officials from the Arab world.

The work by Oxford University, which is published in the International Journal of Cancer, defines any drink at 65 degrees Celsuis or above as “very hot” and posing a potential risk.

Consuming six or more hot drinks per day also raises the risk, according to data from 977,282 middle-aged men and women.

Although adding milk can cool drinks down slightly, a milky tea or coffee may still be far too hot, researchers say.

Tea made immediately after a kettle is fully boiled is touching boiling point, which is 100 degrees C (212 degrees F). Once poured into a cup, that lowers to around 90 or 95 degrees C.

The advice is to wait a few minutes before drinking so the beverage cools to a safer temperature.

Cancer Research UK says it’s difficult to put an exact time on how long a hot drink should be left to cool.

“But if you’re worried, we’d suggest just waiting until it’s comfortable to drink rather than drinking it while it’s still very hot,” the charity said.

Lead researcher Dr Keren Papier said research in South America – where many people drink a very hot herbal beverage called mate – had already shown a similar link between hot drinks and oesophageal cancer.

But she said: “More research is now needed to identify the exact drink temperatures linked to this increased risk.”

A separate study, external of 118 young adults who did multiple tastings of different black coffees found most only deemed the drinks to be too hot if the temperature was 70 degrees C or above.

According to one takeaway coffee cup manufacturer, the ideal temperature for hot coffee on the go is between 49 and 60 degrees C.

Should a barista want the coffee to stay hotter for longer – if a customer requests extra hot – it can be served at over 82 degrees C, says MTPak Coffee.

Ant and Dec have lost out on the NTA for TV Presenter yet again after previously breaking their 23-year streak last year when Gary Lineker scooped the award

Ant and Dec have lost out on their once-annual National Television Award yet again. The Geordie duo had an unbeaten streak of 23 consecutive wins of the Best Presenter gong, which was broken last year when Gary Lineker took the award.

This time around, all eyes were back on the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! stars to see if they could reclaim their victory, but it wasn’t to be as Sir David Attenborough was chosen by the public.

The centenarian, who has most recently fronted Secret Garden for the BBC, could not be there in person but executive producer Mark Brownlow collected it in his honour.

Reading David’s words, he said: “I’m sorry that I cannot be here to accept it. If this award is a response to the part television has played in the growing recognition of the terrible plight our planet is in, and also of the fact we now have a pressing responsibility to do what we can to protect and preserve it, I am honoured.

“If we are to repair the planet, we need a major national and international initiative, which will certainly require our support. But it’s also possible to make small differences in our own spaces and neighbourhoods.

“If enough small differences are made, they do add up to something significant, while also providing spacers we can enjoy being in. Humanity has always needed the natural world for all the practicalities of life and for our mental wellbeing.

“Now, the natural word needs us too. Surely, we must not ignore that simple fact. Thank you very much.”

Ant and Dec are yet to speak out on the loss, but last year, they took the defeat graciously. “Hello from sunny South Africa, it’s us,” Dec said in a video. “We just want to jump on here and say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! at the NTAs last night.”

“Yes, thank you very much,” Ant added as the pair whooped. “Everyone here is very happy and thank you to everyone that voted for us for the Best Presenter category, even though we couldn’t get it across the line this year. We were beaten by an up and coming new guy, 64-year-old whippersnapper Gary Lineker.”

Dec went on to praise Gary’s emotional speech as he added: “Congratulations to Gary – great speech too.” Ant seconded his pal’s words, saying: “Great speech, thoroughly deserved.”

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