After the first direct talks in decades, Israel and Lebanon have agreed to begin ongoing negotiations for the ‘security of both countries’. Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna explains why US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sees this ‘milestone’ meeting as just the ‘start of the process’.
Published On 15 Apr 202615 Apr 2026
Share
The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States arrived at the State Department in Washington for their countries’ first direct talks in decades. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is hosting the discussions.
Published On 14 Apr 202614 Apr 2026
Share
ISLAMABAD — The United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations Saturday in Pakistan, days after a fragile, two-week ceasefire was announced, as the war that has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets entered its seventh week.
The White House confirmed the direct nature of the talks, a rare instance of high-level U.S. government engagement with the Iranian government.
Iran’s state-run news agency said three-party talks including Pakistan had begun after Iranian preconditions, including a reduction in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, were met, and after U.S. and Iranian officials met separately with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and the Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf were discussing how to advance the ceasefire already threatened by deep disagreements and Israel’s continued attacks against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, the most direct U.S. contact had been in September 2013 when President Obama called newly elected President Hassan Rouhani to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The recent highest-level meetings were between Secretary of State John Kerry and counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif during negotiations over the program.
Iran doubled down on parts of its earlier proposal, with its delegation telling Iranian state television it had presented some of the plan’s ideas as “red lines” in meetings with Sharif. Those included compensation for damage caused by the U.S.-Israeli strikes that launched the war on Feb. 28 and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
The war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 1,953 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states, and caused lasting damage to infrastructure in half a dozen Middle Eastern countries. Iran’s chokehold on the vital Strait of Hormuz has largely cut off the Persian Gulf and its oil and gas exports from the global economy, sending energy prices soaring.
Reflecting the high stakes, officials from the region said Chinese, Egyptian, Saudi and Qatari officials were in Islamabad to indirectly facilitate the talks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.
In Tehran, residents told the Associated Press they were skeptical yet hopeful about the talks after weeks of airstrikes left destruction across their country of some 93 million people. Some said the path to recovery would be long.
“Peace alone is not enough for our country, because we’ve been hit very hard, there have been huge costs,” 62-year-old Amir Razzai Far said.
Meanwhile, Israel pressed ahead with strikes in Lebanon after saying there is no ceasefire there. Iran and Pakistan have disagreed. The Lebanese state-run news agency reported at least three people killed.
Ahead of the talks, President Trump accused Iran of using the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy supplies, for extortion, and told reporters Friday it would be opened “with or without them.”
Iran’s closure of the strait has proved its biggest strategic advantage in the war. Around a fifth of the world’s traded oil had typically passed through on over 100 ships a day. Only 12 have been recorded transiting since the ceasefire.
Iran has floated the idea of charging ships, though the idea has been widely rejected by countries including the United States and Iran’s neighbor Oman.
On Saturday, Trump said on social media that the U.S. had begun “clearing out” the strait, but it was unclear whether he was referring to the reported use of mines there or Iran’s broader ability to control the area.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said Tehran was entering negotiations with “deep distrust” after strikes on Iran during previous rounds of talks. Araghchi, part of Iran’s delegation in Pakistan, said Saturday that his country was prepared to retaliate if attacked again.
Iran and the United States outlined competing proposals ahead of the talks.
Iran’s 10-point proposal called for a guaranteed end to the war and sought control over the Strait of Hormuz. It included ending fighting against Iran’s “regional allies,” explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah.
The United States’ 15-point proposal includes restricting Iran’s nuclear program and reopening the strait.
Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office said Friday, after Israel’s surprise announcement authorizing talks despite the countries lack of official relations.
Israel wants the Lebanese government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, much like was envisaged in a November 2024 ceasefire. But it is unclear whether Lebanon’s army can confiscate weapons from the militant group, which has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades.
Israel’s insistence that the ceasefire in Iran does not include a pause in its fighting with Hezbollah has threatened to sink the deal. The militant group joined the war in support of Iran in the opening days. Israel followed up with airstrikes and a ground invasion.
The day the Iran ceasefire deal was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest day in Lebanon since the war began, according to the country’s Health Ministry.
The spot price of Brent crude, the international standard for oil prices, was above $94 on Saturday, up more than 30% since the war started.
And new pressures emerged in Europe for travelers.
The head of Airports Council International-Europe, Olivier Jankovec, warned the European Union that a ″systemic jet fuel shortage’’ could come within three weeks because of the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.
Jankovec said in a letter obtained by the Associated Press that the crunch could impact the summer travel season and ″significantly harm the European economy.’′
Ahmed, Metz, Castillo and Magdy write for the Associated Press. Metz reported from Jerusalem, Castillo from Beijing and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this report.
WITH the Iran crisis continuing, it’s no surprise that Brits are changing their holiday plans.
Destinations like Dubai and Doha remain off the travel list, and Brits are avoiding certain long-haul destinations that involve stopovers in the Middle East – but TUI says that other holiday spots are on the rise instead.
TUI has revealed that there’s been a change in demand when it comes to Brits booking holidays.
Instead, certain locations are being favoured as a result – in particular, two Caribbean islands.
TUI’s UK&I Managing Director Neil Swanson said: “We’re seeing particularly strong demand for our direct long-haul flights to the Caribbean – especially the Dominican Republic and Jamaica – where point‑to‑point routes give customers added confidence and help them keep their holiday plans on track.”
The islands are popular year-round with Brits thanks to their sunshine, high temperatures and beautiful coastlines.
Flights to the islands are direct and take between eight and ten hours.
They also don’t pass through the Middle East as they head over the North Atlantic Ocean instead.
TUI offers holidays to Jamaica from £899 per person.
In Jamaica, a popular spot is Negril, which is the capital of the island that sits along the western tip.
Over the years it has been visited by famous faces likes Bob Marley and even The Rolling Stones.
It has the Seven Mile Beach, which offers visitors to ride across the sand on horses, and go snorkelling.
TUI offers holidays to Montego Bay too, a destination which is known for being popular with tourists with all-inclusive resorts, white-sand beaches, and nightlife.
It also has breaks to Ocho Rios which has lots of green spaces like the Dunn’s River Falls, the Blue Hole – a natural limestone sinkhole that’s considered a hidden gem.
When it comes to Jamaica, the best months to visit are December through to April when it is at its warmest and most dry.
The best time to visit the Dominican Republic is the same, and TUI offers breaks from from £899 per person.
The Dominican Republic is also one of the cheapest islands to visit.
Laura Evans Fisk, Head of Digital & Engagement at eurochange said: “As we’ve seen transactions for the Dominican peso surge this year ahead of any other currency, we can definitely expect to see the Dominican Republic at the top of travel bucket lists for UK tourists in 2026.
Beaches are beautiful all around the island, but the Dominican Republic also has two of the best in the world – Canto de la Playa and Bahia de las Aguilas.
Santo Domingo is the island’s capital, where there are find plenty of bars – and average price of a local beer is 150DOP (£1.86).
Other destinations that are on the rise for travellers include Thailand’s Phuket and Goa in India.
He said the reason is that the long-haul flights from TUI “offer customers reassuring alternatives that avoid transiting through the region.”
Neil Swanson added: “Closer to home, destinations across Europe and the Mediterranean continue to perform well, with Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cape Verde seeing increased demand in recent days.”
For more on Cape Verde – here’s what you can do on the islands that have white sand beaches, no jet lag and cheap package holidays.
And a TUI expert reveals how to save hundreds on the same holiday and the little-known money saving tool.
TIMOTHÉE Chalamet’s painful Oscars experience was made worse by love rival Travis Scott cheering for Michael B. Jordan, a source close to the star told The U.S. Sun.
Chalamet endured a brutal Academy Awards, from being roasted by host Conan O’Brien to missing out on a career-defining award.
O’Brien targeted the Willy Wonka actor over his scathing remarks about opera and ballet, which had sparked global criticism and threatens to end his partnership with Cartier.
Chalamet said last month in a CNN town hall with Matthew McConaughey that “no one cares” about either artform, with one Academy insider labelling him as “arrogant.”
The night, however, reportedly worsened when controversial rapper Scott — girlfriend Kylie Jenner’s ex and father of her two children — openly supported Jordan, who beat Chalamet in the Best Actor category.
The insider said the 30-year-old was “shaken” after Marty Supreme failed to win any of its nine nominations.
While he was happy for Jordan, who impressed judges with his dual role in Sinners, Chalamet struggled to hide his disappointment, and his tension with Scott reportedly hit an “all-time low.”
“Travis’s support for Michael B. Jordan was seen as a direct snub, and it’s clear he has little respect for Timothée’s talent,” the source said. “While he isn’t confrontational, their relationship has grown colder than ever.”
Chalamet was, according to the insider, withdrawn throughout the evening, leaving the after-party earlier than usual.
Another source also told The U.S. Sun that the couple even walked out of the Oscars ceremony for an hour, leaving seat fillers in their spot.
People close to him said he leaned heavily on Jenner for comfort, appearing so reliant that she sometimes seemed overwhelmed.
It has been a dispiriting awards season for Chalamet.
Last month at the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards in London, he was nominated for Best Actor for Marty Supreme but lost to Robert Aramayo for his performance in I Swear.
Marty Supreme, which tells the true story of a table tennis player in the 1940s, went home empty-handed despite nine nominations.
Sources said Chalamet left the BAFTA ceremony visibly deflated, struggling to enjoy himself despite efforts from Jenner and his friends.
“Going home with nothing in London deeply bruised his ego, though he will certainly learn from the experiences of the last few months.
“He never truly settled into the vibe of the ceremony; his mood was tense and stressed, and he struggled to enjoy himself.”
It wasn’t just host O’Brien laughing at him, either.
Another roast came from Alexandre Singh, who accepted the award for Best Short Film (a tie between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva) and addressed Chalamet’s ballet comments.
“Maybe it takes ten years’ time, but we can change people’s lives through art, through creativity — through theatre and ballet — and also cinema,” Singh said after collecting his award.
The insider said the energy throughout the night was tense, with Jenner’s behavior described as almost maternal.
“The atmosphere was strange for everyone involved. Kylie has become his primary safe space, to the point where those around him feel she is essentially babysitting him.
Timothée Chalamet has sparked a heated cultural debate following comments made at a CNN and Variety Town Hall on February 21, 2026.
Speaking alongside Matthew McConaughey about needing “draws” to pull in an audience to his movies, Chalamet made harsh comments about industries he claimed feel forced to stay afloat.
“I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera… where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore,’” he said.
The remarks mirror sentiments Chalamet expressed as early as 2019 during a promotional event for The King, where he labeled the disciplines “dying art forms.”
The Royal Ballet and Opera issued a formal rebuttal, emphasizing that these art forms do not exist in isolation but rather “inform, inspire, and elevate” the broader cultural landscape, including the film industry itself.
“It is a bizarre dynamic; while she seems to embrace her influence over him, it often feels like she is acting as a maternal figure rather than a partner, which many find frustrating to witness.”
Sources said the Oscars provided Chalamet a reality check when he faced fellow nominees Jordan and Brazilian actor Wagner Moura.
Friends have advised him to adopt a more mature public persona, projecting confidence rather than appearing like a “young boy with a high school girlfriend.”
“The gap in maturity was obvious,” the insider said. “He’s been told multiple times he needs to project more maturity to be taken seriously as a leading man.”
Chalamet now plans to put the disappointment behind him by going on vacation, attending some NBA games, and “reconnecting with himself” before returning to work.
