News Desk

Netflix has shared the first glimpse of their adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, which stars Jack Lowden in the role of Mr Darcy and The Crown star Emma Corrin as Elizabeth

Netflix has shared the first glimpse of their adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The streaming giant is behind a $60 million adaptation of the Jane Austen classic, and it is due for release in December.

The original novel was published in 1813 and has been adapted for the screen around 15 times, perhaps most notably in as a six-episode series in 1995, in which Colin Firth starred as Mr Darcy and Jenifer Ehle as his love interest Elizabeth Bennet.

Now, over 30 years later, Jack Lowden is to star as Mr Darcy whilst The Crown’s Emma Corrin will take on the role of Elizabeth. In the first look of the Netflix series, Lizzy (Emma Corrin) and Jane (Freya Mavor) open the trailer on the roof of Longbourn.

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Corrin is heard saying: “One day, Jane, I shall be either a governess and a spinster, or a wife and a mother.. And then, finally, we may talk about something else.”

Jane simply replies: “Such as what?” Mrs Bennet, played by Olivia Colman, utters the famed line “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

The series has been adapted by Dolly Alderton, who enjoyed success with her bestselling memoir Everything I Know About Love before it was turned into a BBC series.

She said “Pride and Prejudice is such a timeless story because of the emotions in the book; they are as pertinent now as they were in 1812.

“Embarrassment of your family, fear that you’re going to get left behind, fear that the world is not going to be a safe place for your children as it was for you, mortification that you judged someone incorrectly or that you had been misjudged. We go to that book to see our hearts reflected in it.”

“I always knew that I wanted it to be the opening line of the trailer, not only because I think it’s so relatable to women now who are looking to find the right partner and looking to find love, who are resentful of how much time it takes over their schedule and their brain, but also because it captures how much Lizzy is a character who’s working things out as she goes along.”

The official Netflix synopsis reads: “When wealthy bachelors arrive in their neighbourhood, the five Bennet sisters must navigate love, family, and society’s expectations to secure their futures.

“Jane falls for the charming Mr Bingley, while Elizabeth clashes with his proud friend Mr Darcy – but unexpected encounters and family scandals force Elizabeth to reconsider her feelings and discover the true nature of love.”

Pride and Prejudice arrives on Netflix on 3 December.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alliance, made up of right and far-right parties, is short of a majority after the most consequential elections in decades.

Tuesday’s poll saw a record turnout. And the main opposition bloc, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, also does not have the numbers to form a government on its own.

Meanwhile, parties representing the Palestinian citizens of Israel have made unprecedented electoral gains.

While Netanyahu has refused to work with Arab-led lists, could the opposition alliance reach a deal with them?

Or is cooperation a bridge too far while the Israeli military’s assaults on Gaza and the occupied West Bank continue?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

Mairav Zonszein – senior Israel analyst, International Crisis Group

Mustafa Barghouti – secretary-general, Palestinian National Initiative

Phyllis Bennis – fellow, Institute for Policy Studies, and author of Understanding Palestine and Israel

PETER Andre has revealed he refused to let his adult son Junior share a bedroom with girlfriend Jasmine at the family home — and even banned them from closing the door.

The Mysterious Girl singer admitted he enforced the strict rules when Junior, now 21, first started dating Jasmine, despite his son already being around 18 or 19.

Speaking on his new podcast, At Home With The Andres, alongside wife Dr Emily Andre, Peter explained that he wanted to set an example for his younger children.

He said: “Junior, even now he’s with his partner, yeah, that’s different. He’s with Jasmine and they’re really happy. They live together, it’s different.”

The dad-of-five continued: “When they come over together, they stay together. But when they got together, with Jasmine, it was like, no, you’re not sharing a room. And he’s an adult, he’s like 19 or 18, and I’m like, no, no, you guys can sit up there and watch TV, doors open. They must’ve thought we were…”

Emily backed her husband, saying: “I actually think a lot of parents would relate to that.”

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Explaining his reasoning, Peter added: “And it was because I didn’t want Millie and Theo to be thinking that it’s just normal for someone to just have someone in their room with the door shut. And then what happens if that relationship doesn’t work out?”

He continued: “Well then the next person, and then where does it stop? So I’m glad that we put those rules in.”

Emily agreed, saying: “As a parent, you can only do what feels like the right thing at the time.”

She added: “I do think that was the right thing at the time, especially with the younger kids in the house. But, you know, everyone’s got different rules, but I think a lot of parents will relate to that. Definitely.”

The couple’s new podcast offers listeners a glimpse behind the scenes of their family life, with the pair discussing everything from parenting dilemmas to marriage and their very different careers.

Peter and Emily tied the knot in 2015 and share children Amelia, Theo and Arabella, while the singer is also dad to Junior and Princess from his previous marriage to Katie Price.

Rates will remain 3.75-4 percent even as inflation continues to rise.

The United States Federal Reserve is set to hold interest rates steady in its final monetary policy decision before the US midterm elections.

The central bank will maintain rates at 3.75-4 percent, following a 10-2 vote, in line with expectations.

CME FedWatch, which tracks the likelihood of monetary policy decisions, indicated that there was more than a 90 percent chance rates would remain unchanged.

“Economic activity is expanding at a strong pace,” the Fed said in its press release announcing the decision on Wednesday. “While uncertainty remains elevated owing, in part, to geopolitical developments, domestic spending has been resilient. Productivity growth is strong, and capital investment is robust. Job gains have kept pace with the workforce, and the unemployment rate has changed little.”

The Fed noted how inflation continues to rise.

It also added, “The accumulation of more information will help the Committee determine the policy stance appropriate to ensure a timely return of inflation to the Committee’s 2 percent goal.”

The most recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showed the annual inflation rate increasing to 3.7 percent in September, up from 3.4 percent in August, with energy prices largely accounting for the monthly surge.

There were signs earlier this month that the central bank would maintain benchmark interest rates, with the Fed’s chair for supervision, Michelle Bowman, advocating a “wait and see” approach.

“I don’t feel any urgency for taking further action at this point,” she said at this month’s International Monetary Fund-World Bank meetings in Bangkok, Thailand. “We really need to take some time and understand how things will evolve.”

The decision comes before Thursday’s release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index report, which is used by the central bank to assess inflation and inform its decisions.

Today’s Fed announcement follows an interest-rate hike rise last month, amid surging inflation – the first increase by the central bank since July 2023. The move drew criticism from US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly pressed the Fed to cut rates since taking office. At the time, he wrote on Truth Social that “interest rates in the United States should be 1% or less.”

The Fed’s next monetary policy meeting is scheduled for December 8-9, when it will give its final rate decision of the year.

Current forecasts point to a quarter-point interest rate increase.

ADELE is gearing up to end her musical hiatus, and I can exclusively reveal the details of her much-anticipated comeback.

Last week our newspaper told you the superstar was on the brink of announcing her fifth album, and now my music mole has spilled all on what the record will sound like.

The 38-year-old is tipped to release the follow-up to her fourth album next summer, and I’m told the working title is 39.

The name would follow the pattern of her previous albums, from 19 and 21 through to 25 and 30.

My source explained: “Adele is gearing up for a huge comeback and feels ready to start a new chapter musically.

“She’s been away from performing for a while, but music has never been far from her mind.

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“The album is being tipped for next summer, although the release plans are still being worked through. The working title being discussed is 39.”

Adele stepped back from the stage after her Las Vegas residency ended in November 2024, and has spent the time away focusing on her family.

But I’m told she has been writing the whole time.

My insider said: “She’s spent the past couple of years prioritising her family and enjoying some time away from the pressure of being in the spotlight, but she’s also been thinking about music constantly.

“She’s been writing throughout her break. She famously finds the fame side of her career difficult, so stepping away has been important for her.

“She now feels creatively revived and has come back to the music with a fresh perspective.”

As revealed last week, Adele has been secretly recording at the famous Church Studios in Crouch End, North London, which is owned by producer Paul Epworth.

And my source says he is on board for the new record.

They said: “Paul Epworth is involved, which is significant given their history together. They’ve made some incredible music in the past, including Skyfall, and there’s a real understanding between them creatively.

“He knows how to bring out the best in Adele while allowing her to experiment.”

The pair won an Oscar together for the Bond theme.

While fans can expect the huge vocals and emotional honesty Adele is known for, I’m told she is keen to move slightly away from her trademark ballads.

The source said: “She doesn’t want to abandon the ballads that made her a global superstar, because that’s such a big part of who she is as an artist.

“But she’s also looking at how she can evolve. She wants the record to feel fresh and reflect the person she is today, rather than simply repeating what she’s done before.”

Never one to shy away from honesty, Adele will also tackle the darker side of fame on the album.

My insider said: “There are songs exploring the more difficult side of fame and what it’s like to live so much of your life in the public eye.

“Adele has always been very honest in her music, and this record will continue that, including some of the struggles she’s had with herself and her own image.”

But I’m told that at its heart, it is a love album, and will feature a tribute to fiance Rich Paul.

They said: “She’s keen to include a song dedicated to Rich, because her relationship is an important part of her life and it would be natural for that to find its way into her songwriting.”

Adele’s London roots will also come through in the music, despite her years living in the US.

The source added: “There’s a sense of looking back at her roots and the experiences that shaped her. It’s about recognising how far she’s come while still holding on to the person she was before the fame.”

Fans have also been sent into a spin after Adele briefly changed her YouTube name to her full name, Adele Adkins, last week before switching it back.

My mole says the star knows how closely she is being watched.

They said: “Adele knows that even the smallest change around her online presence will get people talking, but she isn’t going to rush into announcing anything before she’s ready.

“She wants to get everything right, and when she does come back, she wants it to feel like a proper new era rather than a quick announcement followed by a long wait.”

New music is also expected to feature in blockbuster Cry To Heaven, which could help launch her next chapter.

My source said: “It could help introduce audiences to a different side of her creatively and build anticipation for the album itself. It’s about setting the tone for her return and giving people a taste of what’s to come.”

And for those hoping to see her live, a tour is not off the cards.

They said: “A tour is something that could be considered once the album plans become clearer, but nothing is set in stone at this stage.

“She knows how much fans want to see her live again, but if she does decide to tour, it will be because she feels ready for it rather than because she feels pressured to get back on the road.”

Fingers crossed the wait won’t be much longer.

CHERYL TWEEDY has revealed she has a secret TikTok burner account to keep up with pop culture without drawing attention to herself.

The singer said: “I like scrolling TikTok as people are funny and fun and they are a bit more relaxed.

“They don’t care about taking the mick out of themselves.

“I’m a secret scroller. A burner.”

NOT TOO SHABBY

RISING music star Shab has come a long way after leaving her native Iran with just a suitcase to her name.

She has toured with The Wanted and JLS and now she is back with a new single, Catch Me If You Can.

In an exclusive chat, she said: “Catch Me If You Can is exactly where my head is at right now.

“I’m done asking permission to be me. I know what I bring, and I’m not chasing anybody to prove it.”

Shab, whose single Perfume VIP Remix peaked at No11 on the Dance Music Charts, also has ambitions to move into fashion.

Last month, she appeared on the runway at a Dallas catwalk show and has now launched her own clothing brand DropTrou.

This is a woman not to be underestimated.

GEORGE FILM A KLASS ACT

MYLEENE KLASS was among the fans at the posh premiere of the new George Michael concert film.

And she was in for a treat, as the late singer is at his bottom-thrusting best in George Michael: The Faith Tour.

The remastered footage from his 1988 run of shows features more than 200 thrusts by the Fastlove singer – with one cinema- goer admitting they were shocked.

“Watching George’s bottom thrusts in IMAX was certainly something,” they told me after watching the film, which   is out next Friday.

“It has to  be seen to be believed.”

SIGN UP FOR COSY U2 GIG

U2 have joined forces with BBC Radio 2 to perform an exclusive, one-off show in London next month.

The concert, which is being recorded in front of a select audience on November 3, will see Bono and his bandmates ­performing tracks from their upcoming album, Carnaval De Luz, as well as hits from their back catalogue.

To be in the crowd, you have until midnight tonight to register on the BBC website under the Shows And Tours section.

The set will air next month in full on BBC Two, while Jo Whiley will welcome the band on to her show on November 30 for an interview, which will also feature songs from the live performance.

MONDAY GIRLS GO PURE POP

REMEMBER MONDAY have finally announced their debut album, Can We Press Rewind?.

The 12-track record, out on January 29, features their new single, Dream Cheat, which is out now.

Insiders told me the three-piece – Charlotte Steele, Holly-Anne Hull and Lauren Byrne – have dug deep for the record.

A source said: “Charlotte, Holly-Anne and Lauren have delved into their own romantic history for this record, and it’s littered with dating disasters and questionable decisions.

“It’s pure pop fun and shows how far they’ve come.”

The album will come out just days before they kick off their I’m Just A Girl tour, which is their biggest run of shows to date.

Remember Monday will start their run in Bristol on February 8, before shows in Birmingham, Portsmouth and Glasgow.

The leader of Israel’s Balad party has condemned the country’s main political leaders for refusing to form a coalition with Arab parties, even after a record showing in polls could make them kingmakers for the next parliament after no clear winner emerged.

Sami Abu Shehadeh told Al Jazeera that Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up about a fifth of the population, are being treated as illegitimate partners despite their turnout.

“This is racism,” he said. “We are a legitimate elected leadership of the national minority. The vast majority of our people decided that we are their leadership.”

Arab parties are on course to win a record 19 seats, giving them potentially decisive leverage over the main political blocs. With 85 percent of the vote counted, Israel’s Central Elections Committee has Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc ahead with at least 53 seats, and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot on 48.

Both are short of the 61 needed to govern. Netanyahu says Israelis chose a strong right-wing government, while Eisenkot says they voted for change.

Abu Shehadeh, who leads Balad, one of the Joint List’s three parties, was not a candidate.

Israel’s elections committee voted to disqualify him at the request of far-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who accused him of supporting the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack due to an article issued the following day in which Abu Shehadeh called it an “important historical event”.

Abu Shehadeh subsequently told the Supreme Court he did not support “armed struggle” but acknowledged that a paragraph in the article had been incorrectly worded. He said his intention was to call for moving the conflict towards a political process.

He withdrew in October after a majority of the Supreme Court panel appeared willing to approve the disqualification. He rejects the grounds and said the court had made clear that Israel has “two different judicial systems, one for the Jews and one for the Arabs”.

“We are very proud of the Arab Palestinian minority in Israel that went in this very high percentage of voting,” he told Al Jazeera. The community’s first promise to voters, he said, was to prevent “this gang of criminals” from returning to power, naming Netanyahu and far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Ben-Gvir. “So our first promise, we can keep it from now .”

Numbers point to Arab parties but opposition bloc resistant

Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, said Netanyahu “has scared off everybody from talking to the Palestinian Israeli parties”, leaving him best placed to “call the shots”. She said that Eisenkot and his allies have indicated that they want a Zionist government and “do not want to form a government” with the Arab parties, leaving them few options.

Danny Ayalon, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States, told Al Jazeera that turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel came in “really unprecedented numbers” and that the parties “are going to have some significant clout”.

Mathematically, he said, Eisenkot’s bloc could join forces with the two Arab parties and pass the threshold, though it would take “political wizardry”. Yousef Jabareen, who leads the Joint List, has said his alliance’s “hands are extended” to oust Netanyahu.

Abu Shehadeh set out what Palestinian citizens want from the next government.

“We are against genocide and we are against apartheid. We want to promote a different political alternative, one which is based on the values of freedom, justice and equality for both people who are living between the river and the sea.”

Of Netanyahu, he said: “Our problem … is that he is a war criminal.”

A UN commission said in a report published on Monday that Israel has continued to commit genocide in Gaza after last October’s US-brokered ceasefire in the enclave.

The Hague-based International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 for war crimes during the Gaza war.

They hit you hardest if your income is close to one of the tax thresholds, but anyone who gets a pay rise is affected, as long as you earn enough to pay tax. Only people earning under £12,570 – the personal allowance threshold – pay no income tax.

By 2031 an extra 6.8 million people will be paying tax who wouldn’t have if the personal allowance had not been frozen, the OBR calculates.

The state pension is currently just below the personal allowance threshold, and pensioners looked set to be drawn into paying tax from next April, when the basic state pension rises to £13,036.

However, the chancellor is putting in place a new separate Pension Tax Allowance, which will ensure that low-income pensioners, with income up to the value of the full new state pension, will not pay income tax.

The personal allowance threshold is set for the whole UK, so people in Scotland will also be affected, although other tax bands there vary, external.

National Insurance Contributions (Nics) are levied according to the same thresholds.

For John and TJ Osborne, work and family have long been intertwined.

Today the siblings are known to country music fans as Brothers Osborne, the rock-leaning twosome that’s put 13 songs on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and been named vocal duo of the year half a dozen times at the annual CMA Awards. Before they moved to Nashville, though, the brothers grew up helping out with their dad’s plumbing business in the late 1990s in the small fishing town of Deale, Md.

“You know how every country star opens a bar in Nashville?” John asks. “I was thinking it’d be funny to start a Brothers Osborne plumbing company that services all the bars.”

With TJ on lead vocals and John on lead guitar, the brothers look back at those early days in Deale on their nostalgic new album, “Watertown,” which came out last week, 10 years after the release of their first LP. It’s got handsome, well-drawn songs about long-lost loves and teenage indiscretions, not to mention one tune about some of the colorful Osbornes who don’t play in the band.

“We got a mama that you wouldn’t want to take home to mama,” TJ sings in “Family Business,” which rhymes that line with “Got a daddy with a girlfriend who loves marijuana” and “Sister took a swing at her first boy’s father.”

“I always tell people that TJ and I are the most boring people in our family,” John says. “Our sister really did punch her ex-husband in the face.”

TJ, 41, calls the album a tribute to the people who shaped him and his brother, who’s 44. “When you’re a kid, you want to run away from home and spread your wings,” the singer says. “Then at some point, it’s like that place is almost calling you back.”

That the Osbornes are at an age to memorialize the old days puts them on the outskirts, to some extent, of a country scene crowded with ascendant zoomers like Ella Langley, Tucker Wetmore and Megan Moroney. Yet the brothers are hardly fuddy-duddys: In 2021, TJ became the first country artist signed to a major label to come out as gay; musically, he and John consistently make unexpected stylistic choices — take the ringing new wave guitars in “Family Business” — even as they court down-the-middle success, as with the new album’s lead single, “Born and Raised Hell,” which features the country radio kingpin Cody Johnson.

“John and TJ don’t make corporate country music,” says Ashley McBryde, who’s collaborated repeatedly with the brothers. McBryde calls John “a guitar god” and says TJ’s deep voice “could make your kneecaps come unglued”; she adds that she likes to listen to their records “while I’m doing yard work, slinging a chainsaw.”

“Our mission the whole time has been: How do we thread the needle of doing something that’s a little left of center while making it commercial enough that people can hear it?” TJ says over coffee at an outdoor cafe in Griffith Park. The Osbornes are in town on a recent afternoon between tour dates; last night they did dinner at Nobu in West Hollywood — “bougie as f—,” John acknowledges — then “climbed up the La Cienega mountain,” as the guitarist puts it, back to their hotel on Sunset.

“The last 50 yards, I felt like I was gonna puke,” John says.

Does Nashville have good sushi?

“They do now,” John replies. “Back in the day, there was just this place Ken’s — kind of a hole in the wall where you’d get these huge styrofoam containers of rolls. It was really cheap, and we’d all get really stoned and eat tons of sushi.”

The brothers learned to play from their dad in Maryland in a family roots-music combo called Deuce and a Quarter; each went to Nashville to do his own thing but didn’t really gain any traction until they teamed up — a union they say their mother envisioned from the jump.

“I think the second TJ was born, she thought to herself: I have a country band on my hands,” John says. “She’s very — what’s the word I want to use? — goal-driven, in a good way. So when we finally joined forces and things started taking off, there was a bit of ‘I told you so’ about it.” He laughs. “In her defense, she was right.” (The brothers’ sister Natalie also works in Nashville as an A&R exec at the indie label Leo33, where she signed Zach Top.)

Brothers Osborne — nominated again for vocal duo of the year at next month’s CMAs ceremony — came up in a tightknit peer group that also included McBryde, Maren Morris and Kacey Musgraves. The duo broke out with a No. 1 showing for “Stay a Little Longer,” a single from their platinum 2016 debut; since then they’ve scored hits with tunes with like “21 Summer,” “Nobody’s Nobody” and “Burning Man,” the last a collab with Dierks Bentley that also went to No. 1.

Asked why they’ve been embraced by the traditional Nashville biz in a way that’s sometimes eluded Musgraves, TJ shakes his head. “There’s so many Kacey songs that I’m just like, How was this not a huge hit for her?” he says. “There is a game you have to play with country radio — doing things for them that we were willing to do that I know Kacey was just like, ‘No thanks.’”

Why does he reckon he and his brother were willing to jump through the hoops?

“I mean, we knew it would help,” he says. “We grew up in a poor family where everyone worked their asses off just to get by paycheck to paycheck. So I think for us it was about the fact that we’re gonna put in the work and get noticed.”

“You have to be willing to compromise — not your art or your dignity but compromise your time,” John says, “in the hopes that you can pursue a career in music because it’s very competitive.”

Over the past few years, some of Nashville’s biggest hits have come from outsiders like Post Malone experimenting with country music. Speaking broadly, TJ says the trendiness of the genre “is a little annoying because people are like, ‘I hate all country music,’ until their career flounders and suddenly they do a country record. Some of these people, they don’t know anything about it.

“At the same time, the genre is the biggest it’s ever been, which probably set the stage for a song like ‘Choosin’ Texas’ to be the song that it was,” he adds of Langley’s pedal-steel-soaked mega-smash, which just logged its 25th week atop Billboard’s Hot 100 — longer than any other song in chart history.

“I was just up in Brooklyn at a gay bar, and I’m like, All the gays are singing along — what the f—?” TJ says. “Also very jealous of that. I want a song all the gays are singing.”

Five years after he came out in a widely publicized Time magazine story, TJ says he doesn’t think much about his position as one of the few openly gay men in country music. As we keep talking, though, some things seem to come to mind.

“There was a moment recently with all the equity and inclusion stuff where [my identity] started to feel political — that was weird,” he says. “It felt like picking sides, even though I’m like, This is just my sexuality. But I feel like we’re kind of getting back out of that a bit.”

Then again, TJ recalls his appearance at May’s ACM Awards, where he presented Langley with the prize for female artist of the year. “I made a joke about my gay ass being up here giving this award, and there were comments from people being like, ‘I don’t understand why you have to talk about it,’” he says. “It’s like, F—, maybe people aren’t as open to it as I thought. It was proof to me that there’s still a lot of ground to cover.”

Is TJ up for doing the work of opening minds?

“I am. And I think it’s important work because there’s so many different types of gay people. There’s also so many different types of rural Americans. We’ll go to some places, and there are people who I perceive to maybe have some sort of bigotry towards me but I read them wrong and they’re actually totally cool.

“Look, you’re not gonna be able to convince everybody,” he adds. “There’s people that just hate on people for the stupidest reasons. Girls have it the worst. Anytime a girl does anything — ‘She looks like a slut,’ ‘She’s fat,’ ‘She’s too skinny.’ There’s just some mean people out there.”

“We’ve heard it all,” John says.

“There was this amazing burn we got one time where we’d taken ‘21 Summer’ out of the set,” TJ says, “and someone commented, ‘I can’t believe Brothers Osborne played 21 guitar solos but not ‘21 Summer.’” He laughs. “See, at least that’s pretty clever.”

Khartoum, Sudan – Rasha Abdelaziz Musa works every day for seven hours selling tea. But by the time she finishes for the day at 10pm, she’s still unsure if she has enough to feed her four children.

Musa, 39, is doing her best, but her earnings are increasingly no longer enough to cover soaring food prices in the Sudanese capital.

Her husband, a member of the Sudanese military, has spent more than eight months on the front lines of the country’s war, in which the military has been fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since 2023. Musa has not heard from him for months, and he has sent no money.

In his absence, Musa has been left to provide for their children, who attend kindergarten, primary and secondary school.

Musa told Al Jazeera that feeding her family costs about 40,000 Sudanese pounds per day ($4 at the parallel-market exchange rate) before accounting for rent, household essentials and other expenses.

Some of the family staples are ful medames, a dish of stewed fava beans, or lentils. When lentils are too expensive, Musa serves taamiya, or falafel, sandwiches.

Prices regularly change, and Musa often ends the day in debt to the traders she gets her food from.

Large families struggle

Musa is not alone in struggling to cover her family’s daily expenses.

Ahmed Youssef, 61, supports a family of 12 through his work in a butcher’s shop and as an occasional intermediary in livestock sales. He can earn 90,000 to 140,000 pounds ($9 to $14) when a deal succeeds, but that income is irregular.

He told Al Jazeera that his household spends more than 100,000 Sudanese pounds ($10) daily and his income is no longer enough to support the family.

“One income is no longer enough to cover the family’s needs, and sometimes my older children have to work to help meet expenses,” Youssef told Al Jazeera.

Ali Fadil supports a family of 10. Without a permanent job, he goes to the market each morning to look for work. Some days, the 57-year-old earns enough to buy food, but on other days, he finds no work at all. And yet his daily expenses still reach about 70,000 pounds ($7), with rising prices adding to the financial pressure he faces.

“Sometimes I skip meals so I can pay for school fees or medical costs,” he said. “I also borrow money to meet other obligations.”

Food prices rise as Sudanese pound weakens

A survey of four local markets in the Khartoum State area by Al Jazeera last week found that prices for several essential foods had risen sharply within days, making it increasingly difficult for families to plan their spending.

A kilogramme (2.2.lb) of sugar cost about 10,000 pounds ($1), up from 9,000 pounds ($0.90) two days earlier. A litre (1 quart) of cooking oil rose to 25,000 pounds ($2.50) from 20,000 pounds ($2) while a loaf of bread costs 500 pounds ($0.05), compared with 300 pounds ($0.03) a week earlier.

Lentils cost about 10,000 pounds ($1) per kilogramme, up from 8,000 pounds ($0.80), and rice was priced at 13,000 pounds ($1.30) per kilogramme, up from 10,000 pounds ($1). Powdered milk reached 70,000 pounds ($7) per kilogramme, up from 60,000 ($6) two days earlier.

The Sudanese pound has also continued to weaken. According to exchange rates monitored by Al Jazeera, $1 was trading at 10,050 Sudanese pounds on the parallel market on Friday, compared with 9,500 the previous day.

Food inflation adds to pressure on households

Official figures offer further evidence of the rising cost of living, particularly in Khartoum and other urban areas.

According to Sudan’s Central Bureau of Statistics, prices across the country were 28 percent higher in September than a year earlier, up from 26 percent in August. Prices rose by 7.5 percent in September alone, more than double the increase recorded the previous month.

Food prices have risen even faster. Across Sudan, food and beverages cost nearly 37 percent more in September than a year earlier, up from an annual increase of about 21 percent in August. In September alone, food prices jumped by more than 17 percent.

The situation was particularly severe in Khartoum State, where prices were nearly 60 percent higher than a year earlier. Prices rose by more than 15 percent in September alone, following an increase of nearly 9 percent in August.

That sharp increase comes as the capital region struggles to recover from widespread destruction caused by the war. Although displaced residents have begun returning and businesses are gradually reopening since the military recaptured the state from the RSF last year, damaged infrastructure and rising transport costs continue to constrain the availability of goods.

The return of residents has also increased demand for essential supplies, further driving up prices. In September, fuel shortages hit the capital as consumption rose faster than supplies could be replenished.

Urban areas have generally been hit harder than rural communities. Food prices in towns and cities were 55 percent higher than a year earlier, up from about 40 percent in August. Overall, prices in urban areas rose by 40 percent over the past year, compared with about 21 percent in rural areas.

The war is the main driver of these increases, disrupting livelihoods and supply chains. According to the World Bank, Sudan’s economy shrank by an estimated 29 percent in 2023 and a further 14 percent in 2024 as the war devastated businesses, disrupted agricultural production and eliminated jobs.

The conflict has also forced millions of people from their homes with nearly 8.9 million people still internally displaced as of April, according to the International Organization for Migration.

War destroys livelihoods

Journalist and economic affairs specialist Khalid Teks said Sudan’s economic deterioration began long before the war. Falling oil production after South Sudan’s secession in 2011 worsened conditions as did the depreciation of the pound, cash shortages, international isolation, political conflict and corruption in the years preceding the removal of President Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

Teks said political instability during the power transition undermined Sudan’s economic performance, and deep reforms were not implemented before war broke out in 2023. The conflict devastated infrastructure and productive sectors, depleted savings and disrupted economic activity. The climate has also been a factor. Strong agricultural production in 2024 was followed by concern over limited rainfall this year and possible food shortages after the harvest begins in November.

Teks told Al Jazeera that families increasingly deplete their savings and sell their possessions to cover everyday expenses.

He also pointed to disruptions to remittance channels, which many Sudanese households rely on for financial support.

Teks called for easier humanitarian access, an end to the war, direct support for vulnerable households and low-interest loans for small businesses and craft enterprises.

“The government needs to provide direct support through dedicated funds and the Zakat Chamber, facilitate humanitarian organisations and offer affordable loans for small businesses and vocational activities,” Teks said. “This could help reopen markets and workshops and expand microfinance.

Celebrity Traitors fans are sure bosses were forced to make a huge change to the BBC show after a ‘chaotic’ twist during last week’s mission

The Celebrity Traitors has been pure chaos so far – but not as much as it was in the last episode.

During the daily mission, the celebrities had to come together to find money for the prize fund, with one person handed a special power. Ironically, some of the Faithfuls chose the three Traitors – Maya Jama, King Kenny and James Acaster – as the most trustworthy and they were given a special power.

However, fans are now convinced that the chosen power had to be changed after the Faithfuls put their trust in all the Traitors. Kenny, Maya and James were asked who they wanted to give the power of a double vote to – known as the Dagger – and they ultimately decided Kenny should have the power.

It caused quite the chaos in the roundtable as the double vote from Kenny meant there was a tie. The celebrities had to vote again and we are still waiting to find out if Faithfuls Sharon or Joanne will be next to leave.

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Fans are sure the show had to be changed after the Faithfuls selected all three Traitors to go for the power. One fan theorised on Reddit: “I think the faithful picking the three traitors sparked both immediate chaos as they had to scramble to change the power to something that made sense.”

“If it was intended to be the Seer power I’d have preferred them to roll with it to be honest. It would’ve been interesting to hear the traitors strategise about how to use it,” another shared, adding: “Between themselves to ‘confirm’ one of the traitors as a definite faithful to the rest of the group? Would be fireworks if they (or the seer) were later revealed as a traitor.”

Another fan theorised that it could have been a power used in the North American series, which was called the “power of pardon”. The fan explained: “This power allows one player to save a player from banishment if they think they’re not a traitor.

“But then all three traitors got voted so they pivoted to the dagger. The pardon wouldn’t work because no traitor would use it so no suspense.”

Other fans were convinced it could have originally been the power to ask the Traitors a question like Faithfuls Harriet and Matt (and Traitor Rachel) were allowed to do in the fourth civilian series.

The Traitors will return tomorrow night, where we will find out who gets banished at the roundtable – and if all three Traitors can make it all the way to the final.

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Soaring gas prices and a war with Iran. Historically low approval ratings. A potential blue tsunami. A new rape allegation.

President Trump has a lot on his plate, and so too does the nation. Sunday, he took to Truth Social to address the people.

“Let’s talk about this COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOSER, Bill Maher,” the president wrote at the top of his longest post ever.

A fireside chat it was not.

The 1,300-word-plus screed was triggered by Friday’s episode of “Real Time With Bill Maher,” a mainstay on HBO since 2003. The comedian referred to Trump as a “lame duck” president with low approval ratings during a segment with his guest, former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Trump, 80, likely expected praise from his fellow curmudgeon Maher, 70, since the men had recently dined together at the White House. It was their second such date following a controversial get-together in March 2025, which Maher juiced for all it was worth in an effort to stand out from his fellow late-night hosts.

Maher’s chummy relationship with Trump has made him an outlier among his peers, many of whom have been in the president’s crosshairs.

CBS canceled Stephen Colbert’s show after decades on the air following pressure from Trump’s Federal Communications Commission chair. Trump has bitterly complained about being treated unfairly by Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers. They, too, now have targets on their backs.

Maher has avoided the same fate by railing on Trump only half as much as his late-night peers, leaning into various MAGA grievances about the “woke” left and forging a fair-weather friendship with the second-term president.

If the Maher of 2003 could see himself now, he’d likely dedicate a searing monologue to the hypocrisy. The host was once positioned as an irreverent comedian whose political satire was guided by his no-BS take on Capitol Hill and American culture. Common sense over party fealty. Political correctness be damned.

But as the political landscape has shifted, so too has Maher’s approach.

Now he plays the role of a staunchly nonpartisan crank on TV while dining with the president in person.

“Yeah, I did it again, b—!” Maher said to his audience Friday. “I know. I’m the bad guy because I go and say face-to-face to the man the things you write in articles that he’ll never read, but OK. You know what? F— you. I like these dinners.”

So brave. So calculated.

Maher was dipping back into the attention he received in 2025, when he first dined with Trump and described the president as “gracious and measured.”

Their rendezvous was just the sort of thing the comedian would have mercilessly lampooned if he wasn’t in fact part of the joke. Fellow comedians such as Patton Oswalt have criticized the HBO host for placating Trump, while Larry David satirized Maher’s first date with the president in a New York Times essay titled “My Dinner With Adolf.”

The controversy was a boon for “Real Time,” boosting its waning relevance by putting Maher back in the news and reinforcing the tired charade that his fearlessness knows no bounds.

This week’s public skirmish was a repeat performance, if not a somewhat pathetic display of both men’s need to agitate for attention.

Maher told his audience on Friday’s episode that he spoke with the president about deadly ICE incidents, Ukraine and how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was “dragging” Trump down. In closing, he assured the audience he was no pushover by poking at the president’s recent favorable dealings with Russia (a diesel deal, lifting sanctions), then saying, “I could not have been treated better if I was Russian.”

Given the president’s delicate psyche, Maher knew anything short of absolute praise would be perceived as an insult. As for the knock about Trump’s slumping approval numbers? A sure trigger.

In Sunday’s Truth Social manifesto, Trump referred to Maher as a “biased, dumb SLEAZEBAG” whose program is plagued by low ratings. The president also alleged that the comedian was drunk and had a drink in hand as he toured the White House on Oct. 15, and that Maher is a “major POTHEAD” who “looked like hell this time.”

So much for Trump’s initial comments about their meeting. He had told reporters that it was “a great dinner.”

“Bill Maher, I tell you what, he likes me a lot more than people understand,” Trump said. “And I actually like him.”

Not unlike Trump, Maher also enjoys praise, and blames the “woke left” when he doesn’t get it.

The typically smug host appeared upset earlier this year at the Golden Globes when presenter Wanda Sykes roasted him and another nominee up for best performance in stand-up comedy on television, Ricky Gervais.

“There’s some people pissed off that a queer Black woman is up here doing the job of two mediocre white guys,” Sykes said. “… But first, I want to give them some love.” Addressing Maher directly, she said, “You give us so much. But I would love a little less. Just try less.” The camera panned to a stone-faced Maher, who appeared “butthurt” (a term he likes using to dismiss the gripes of folks he gripes about).

The bruised feelings didn’t stop there. Later, on Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, he vented about being passed over by Hollywood.

“I’ve been nominated for 33 Emmys, and they would never give it to me,” he told his guest Joel Edgerton. “I speak freely, and this woke town f— hates that. That’s OK. I’ve made my peace with that, so I know how this goes.”

If Maher has been “soft-canceled” by the industry, as he claims, then Hollywood has a funny way of showing its disdain: HBO renewed “Real Time” through 2028.

Perhaps he learned from his frenemy Trump that grievance politics sells, and it’s time to cash in.

Amanda Serrano will defend her unified WBO and WBA featherweight world boxing titles against Australia’s Skye ⁠Falzon.

Puerto Rico’s seven-division world ‌champion Amanda Serrano will retire after defending her unified featherweight world titles ⁠against Australia’s Skye ⁠Falzon on home soil, in a fight her promoter dubbed “The Last Walk”.

Most Valuable Promotions said Serrano, who holds a 50–4–1 record with 32 ⁠knockouts, will defend her unified WBO and WBA featherweight world titles on January 9 at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan.

Puerto Rico’s only undisputed boxing ⁠champion is also gunning for the all-time women’s knockout record, which the 38-year-old jointly shares with American Christy Martin.

“Boxing has been my life and I never could have imagined the journey it would take me and my family on,” Serrano said in a ‌statement.

“From the early days when women’s boxing was fighting for recognition in small theatre shows, to headlining Madison Square Garden in New York, reaching millions of fans around the world on the biggest shows, and helping open doors for the next generation of female fighters … I always believed and I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished.”

Serrano made history alongside Ireland’s Katie Taylor in 2022 when ⁠they became the first women boxers to headline New ⁠York’s Madison Square Garden.

The highest-profile rivalry in women’s boxing produced a trilogy of fights which Taylor swept via a majority decision in 2025.

A Guinness World Record holder for winning titles across seven weight divisions, ⁠Serrano also became a leading voice for equality in women’s boxing.

In 2023, she competed in the first women’s unified ⁠world championship bout over 12 three-minute rounds, later voluntarily ⁠vacating her WBC title rather than abandoning her commitment to equal rules.

“‘The Last Walk’ is a celebration of an athlete who changed the sport forever … We’re proud to give Amanda the farewell she deserves,” ‌said Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, founders of Most Valuable Promotions.

“Saturday, January 9, will mark the end of an extraordinary career inside the ring, but Amanda’s legacy ‌will ‌live on through every female fighter who follows in her footsteps.”

Falzon, who is also 38, holds a 12-2 record with seven knockouts.

Gulf countries have stepped up diplomacy with Iran in a bid to de-escalate tensions across the Middle East, amid fears of renewed US strikes on Tehran and intensifying hostilities between Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

The three nations that signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August – Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye – and diplomats from Qatar met with high-ranking Iranian officials on Monday in an effort to prevent the resumption of all-out war.

Underscoring the high stakes, the meeting in Tehran was attended by Saudi Minister of Defence Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, just days after Iran-aligned Houthi fighters struck Saudi airports, ports and oil facilities.

Meanwhile, during a diplomatic visit to the United Kingdom’s University of Cambridge on Monday, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi called for a regional security framework, including a “non-aggression pact”, between the Gulf countries and Iran under which the United States would no longer be the primary provider of security.

While Gulf countries appear determined to avoid another round of conflict – which has already restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupted global oil and gas supplies and wreaked havoc on energy facilities and infrastructure in Gulf states – questions remain over whether a regional agreement is possible and where it would leave relations between the US and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Regional security or de-escalation?

On Friday, US President Donald Trump repeated warnings that Washington may carry out another military operation against Iran as rising fuel prices weigh on the US midterm elections scheduled for November 3. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Iran would respond more forcefully to any renewed US military action, stoking fears of an even wider escalation.

While this week’s talks in Tehran mark the first high-level ‌contact between Iran and the Mecca mutual defence pact nations since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28, reports suggest they have stopped short of landing an agreement.

Reuters reported that Qatari mediators ⁠presented ⁠Iran with a draft deal on Sunday, which Tehran was expected to respond to by the end of the week. On Wednesday, the news agency quoted Iranian officials as saying Qatar had put ‌forward ideas that were unacceptable and that Tehran would ⁠show ⁠no flexibility regarding the nuclear ‌issue.

Khaled Batarfi, a Saudi political analyst and academic, said the visit to Tehran indicated that Saudi Arabia was willing to give Iran a “last warning” and “submit to the region’s concerns”, but that Iran has so far refused.

“The gap is [wide] and what makes it worse is that there is no trust,” Batarfi told Al Jazeera.

Observers say diverging views are unlikely to turn the current diplomatic efforts into a lasting infrastructure. “It’s really hard to see a regional security framework coming out in the coming months or even years,” Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, an associate fellow at Chatham House in London, told Al Jazeera.

“What we are seeing is more small groups, flexible groups of countries that are taking the lead in trying to reach either bilateral or multilateral solutions,” the analyst said. “A regional security framework would need the same vision for the region, which is not necessarily shared… among the GCC countries themselves.”

Challenges ahead

Hamidreza Azizi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye share concerns that a prolonged confrontation between Iran and the US could further destabilise the region.

“The main obstacle remains the fundamental disagreement between Tehran and Washington over the sequence of commitments,” Azizi told Al Jazeera. “The US wants Iranian concessions, particularly on the nuclear issue, while Tehran insists that its conditions for ending the war must be met first.”

“Regional mediation could help bridge this gap, possibly through an interim arrangement, but the willingness of regional actors to facilitate an agreement does not necessarily mean that the two principal parties are prepared to make the necessary compromises,” he added.

As for a new security order, Azizi said regional countries do not share a common understanding of what it should look like and what role the US – which has so far been the GCC’s main security partner – would have left to play.

Iran has long advocated for a regional security architecture that would reduce or eliminate the US military presence. “Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, however, remain deeply integrated into the US security system, and there is little indication that they intend to abandon it,” Azizi said.

“The recent war has certainly raised questions about the reliability of American security guarantees, but this has encouraged these countries to diversify their security partnerships rather than fundamentally redefine their strategic alignments.”

Actor and singer Cheyenne Jackson, who has starred on Broadway and held roles on dozens of television series including “American Horror Story,” “30 Rock” and “Glee,” had never considered that he might lose his health insurance.

But in a grim moment last year, he realized he was several thousand dollars short of the roughly $28,000-annual minimum to qualify for healthcare through actors union SAG-AFTRA. Otherwise, he would lose the plan that also covered his husband and their 11-year-old twins.

“Auditions weren’t coming in. It was just a really lean, lean time,” Jackson said. “I think I just took my insurance for granted. I thought it would always happen.”

Jackson and other actors are speaking openly about struggles qualifying for SAG-AFTRA healthcare amid declines in film and television production in Hollywood, an exodus of film jobs abroad, job loss from industry consolidation and concerns of AI incursions.

Jackson reflected on the experience while on a layover Sunday in Atlanta’s airport for his one-man musical act, “Midlife Torso Tour.” He decided to offer to spotlight other union members on social media who were short on their earnings. Within 24 hours of posting about the project idea on Instagram, he had received hundreds of messages, he said.

Jackson credited his friend Kathy Bates, the Oscar- and Emmy-winning actor he worked with on four seasons of “American Horror Story,” for helping him pull through last year. He had texted her describing his plight. She called him back within five minutes and told him, “I have good news and bad news,” he recalled.

The good news, she explained, was that she got him a part on “Matlock,” the CBS reimagining of an ’80s legal drama where she stars as a brilliant criminal defense attorney. The bad news was that he would have only four lines and his character wouldn’t have a name.

“I was like, ‘Sign me up!’” Jackson said. “I was grateful, and I showed up and did my four lines.”

Bates had “really paid it forward,” he said.

Actors’ health insurance plans are typically managed by performing arts unions rather than dispensed by a single corporate employer. Producers and studios contribute to a shared health fund based on union contracts, wages and hours worked. If workers accumulate a preset number of hours or pay, they can qualify for up to a year of coverage.

But dry spells and uncertainty in the industry because of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown and industry strikes have shed light on actors’ struggles to keep insurance as work dwindles. Several years ago, stories proliferated of performers losing health insurance as they contended with heart problems or underwent cancer treatment, and in recent months, actors have again aired concerns.

“I Saw the TV Glow” star Jack Haven posted a video on YouTube in September saying they were “in a bit of an emergency situation.” Haven said they needed to earn $4,000 by the end of the month to keep their insurance. In the video, Haven said they would do “pretty much any job.”

This month, former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell of “Drake & Josh” posted a screenshot of SAG-AFTRA’s health plan website showing that he needed to earn about $11,450 more to qualify.

“Do not become an actor. Do not join SAG,” Bell wrote, using a middle finger emoji and tagging the union’s president, Sean Astin, in the post.

SAG-AFTRA spokesperson Pamela Greenwalt did not respond to a request for comment. But the union has long been open about the financial effects of the pandemic and other industry headwinds that have led to lower employer contributions.

In December 2020, a group of SAG-AFTRA members sued the union’s board of trustees over changes to the health plan. Actors 65 years and older who vested their pensions could no longer count their earnings from residuals in the annual threshold. A provision allowing actors older than 40 with a decade of credits to qualify for coverage at a reduced level of $13,000 in annual earnings was also eliminated.

The union acknowledged renewed challenges during the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023. The union’s national executive director, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, told The Times that year that earning enough to qualify for health coverage had become a “real source of anxiety and concern for many members.”

At a meeting of the union’s national board over the weekend at its Miracle Mile office, Astin in a recorded speech addressed members’ frustrations about economic pressures, saying that the union is using “every bit of leverage we have to make sure working performers have a place in whatever this industry becomes.”

It can take years for members to build up enough union work to qualify for the health insurance. Some who have worked in the industry for years never do. Reportedly only about 14% of the union’s 160,000 members qualify for the union’s healthcare. Of SAG-AFTRA’s membership, which also includes dancers, DJs, journalists and radio program hosts, more than 100,000 members are actors and performers.

Miller Tai, a voice actor on the new Paramount+ animated film “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender,” said he joined the union in 2017 and had not struggled in recent years to meet the earnings minimum, having qualified for the last seven years. He feels that the noise on social media obscures the actual problem: a broken healthcare industry that is hurting people beyond just actors.

“We have a greedy system raising prices by the second,” Tai said. “This is a problem for any sector where we rely on our employers for healthcare.”

In 2027, the earnings minimum will rise to $28,933. Quarterly premiums will rise from $375 to $390 for one participant, with higher amounts for added dependents. Actors with certain credits who lose their eligibility can temporarily keep their health coverage at a reduced rate for up to 18 months through the federal program known as COBRA, according to the union’s website.

Jackson said starting over every year is tough and unpredictable even for people like him who have been in many television shows and make “OK money on residuals.” He said that although one year he might make $300,000 from acting, the next he might make closer to 5% of that amount. He said that he scraped together his minimum earnings this year by taking on more commercial gigs and acting in a vertically filmed microdrama.

“I ended up doing a few things that I have never done before and never thought I would,” Jackson said.

Jackson’s social media project now has a home on Instagram called One Job Away, and he began posting Tuesday morning. His manager’s assistants and others on his team are combing through requests, he said. More than a dozen photos of actors have already been posted, with captions listing the amount they need to make to hit their earnings minimum and describing their past credits.

“To me, it didn’t seem that big of a deal to say I’m struggling and I need to find that next gig,” he said. “But I understand why for a lot of people they don’t want to say that. They don’t want to look needy or look whatever. I do get it, but I think the more we talk about it, the less shame and the less stigma there will be around it, because it just is happening.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has arrived in Damascus to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the first visit of an Iraqi prime minister to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

The visit comes as the two neighbours seek to strengthen bilateral ties and boost economic and oil cooperation.

According to the official Iraqi News Agency (INA), the two leaders discussed the export of Iraqi oil through the Baniyas line, increasing the volume of trade exchange and joint work to develop the agricultural sector to achieve food and economic integration.

Iraq has recently begun exporting limited quantities of oil through Syria following the outbreak of the US-led war on Iran.

Last July, the two countries signed agreements to revive the Haditha Baniyas pipeline to transport Iraqi oil in addition to signing a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of three companies, most notably the American oil major Chevron to implement the project.

“The Iraqi and Syrian people are one people in two countries,” Zaidi said according to INA, noting that “work to develop partnership and joint cooperation in various fields especially economic and social affairs, enhance security co-operation, unify positions on regional and international issues, and work to achieve peace and stability in the region”.

For his part, the Syrian president expressed his “great appreciation for the visit of al-Zaidi and his accompanying delegation,” stressing “the depth of bilateral relations and Syria’s keenness to achieve the highest levels of cooperation between the two countries”.

Al-Sharaa and al-Zaidi had previously met last September in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where they discussed ways to strengthen political and security coordination and expand economic and trade cooperation.

Real Madrid and Barcelona offer messages of support following train crash as Spanish football orders Copa postponement.

Spain’s national football federation has postponed all 24 Copa del Rey games scheduled for Wednesday because of a train accident that killed at least 30 people in the country’s central region.

About 80 people were injured and the death toll could rise, authorities said, after a high-speed train slammed into the rear of another one that had stopped on the track.

“Shocked by the tragic train accident,” the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said.

It said it ordered the postponement of the games “in solidarity with the victims”.

“The entire Spanish football community stands united in grief over this tragedy and has made itself available to the authorities to assist the victims of this devastating accident,” RFEF added.

It said it would later provide a revised tournament schedule. First-round games on Thursday have not been postponed. Games were played on Tuesday as well.

The Spanish league has not announced any postponements for the weekend’s games.

Among Wednesday’s games to be postponed were Navalcarnero against Real Betis, Salamanca against Celta Vigo and Tavernes against Valencia.

Several Spanish football clubs expressed their condolences and solidarity following the incident.

“The club wishes to convey its support and solidarity to the families and friends of the victims and to wish all those injured a speedy recovery,” FC Barcelona said on social media.

Real Madrid also offered condolences and in a statement said the club shared “in the grief of everyone impacted during these moments of profound sadness”.

Sevilla FC took a moment of silence ahead of their training on Wednesday and cancelled manager Luis Garcia Plaza’s press conference, which was scheduled for Wednesday ahead of their match against Sporting de Hortaleza.