Questions Persist Over the Reality of the Middle East Ceasefire

Washington’s trust with Tehran collapsed last February, when talks over Iran’s nuclear programme fell apart after the United States, alongside Israel, launched their joint operation known as Epic Fury. Now, as Washington and Tehran work with Pakistan to broker an end to the violence, rebuilding confidence has become central to the diplomatic push. The Vice President’s entry into the US negotiating team may be a sign that the White House wants to accelerate progress, especially given JD Vance’s long-held doubts about foreign…

Iran threatens to close Strait of Hormuz if US blockade persists

Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz on a temporary basis after a ceasefire deal in Lebanon, fueling hopes that diplomacy could gain traction, while warning that the vital shipping lane could be shut again if the recent US Navy blockade of Iranian ports continued. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a social media post that the strait, one of the world’s most sensitive arteries for energy shipments, would remain open to all commercial traffic for the duration of the US-brokered 10-day truce. The ceasefire was struck on…

Netflix co-founder Hastings exits as streaming company seeks new growth

Netflix is heading into a pivotal stretch without the executive who helped build it from scratch, as Chairman Reed Hastings prepares to leave the streaming company he co-founded 29 years ago. Hastings, 65, is stepping away at a difficult moment for the business. Netflix is trying to unlock new growth as sales come under pressure from intensifying competition, while a potentially transformative merger with Warner Bros Discovery collapsed in February. Late yesterday, Netflix projected current-quarter earnings per share below…

Police investigate bomb threat at Chicago-area home of Pope Leo’s brother

A bomb threat targeting the Chicago-area home of Pope Leo XIV’s brother prompted an evacuation and police search, but investigators said they found no explosives or hazardous materials. Media outlets, citing police, reported that the threat was made yesterday evening at the New Lenox, Illinois, home of John Prevost. Prevost lives on the same street identified by police as the site of the incident. New Lenox police did not return a call seeking comment on the report. The episode follows an attack by US President Donald Trump…

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be asked to surrender Freedom of London

Under intensifying scrutiny, elected members of the City of London Corporation have agreed to write to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and invite him to give up his freedom of the city. The honour was granted to Britain's former prince, the brother of King Charles, 14 years ago. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has faced growing pressure over his conduct and his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "Applications via patrimony are not considered or endorsed…

Russian strikes on Ukraine kill at least 19 people

Ukraine was hit by one of the war’s most devastating overnight assaults as a huge Russian drone and missile attack killed at least 19 people in cities across the country, more than four years after the invasion began and with efforts to halt the fighting still at a standstill. Explosions boomed across the capital through the night, while towering columns of black smoke rose over central Kyiv at first light. More than 100 people were injured in the strikes, which tore into apartment blocks while residents slept. "The impact…

Israel-Lebanon ceasefire begins as Trump says Iran deal is ‘very close’

A ten-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel has taken effect, while President Donald Trump said the next round of US-Iran talks could happen as soon as this weekend, fueling hopes that the war with Iran may be approaching its end. Mr Trump said Iran had proposed not possessing nuclear weapons for more than 20 years. Tehran's nuclear ambitions remained a central obstacle during talks in Islamabad last weekend. "We're going to see what happens. But I think we're very close to making a deal with Iran," he told reporters…

LIV Golf plans to continue at full throttle despite doubts over future

LIV Golf has moved to stamp out fresh doubts about its future, insisting the Saudi-backed circuit will press on “uninterrupted and at full throttle” despite growing talk that its financial support could be withdrawn. The breakaway league, launched in 2021, upended professional golf and quickly established itself as a direct challenger to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. It lured in some of the sport’s biggest stars, among them Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, before later adding leading European figures such as Jon Rahm and…

Turkey to Hold Funerals for School Shooting Victims

A nation shaken by a rare burst of school violence is preparing to bury nine victims after a 14-year-old opened fire in Kahramanmaras, in an attack authorities say bore a disturbing reference to a notorious US mass killer on the suspect’s WhatsApp profile. The shooting in the southern province of Kahramanmaras marked Turkey’s second school gun attack this week, an alarming sequence in a country where such incidents have been uncommon. Officials said the 14-year-old entered two classrooms while armed with five guns and fired…