Global Pulse

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  • UN calls on Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to reverse crackdown on women

    UN calls on Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to reverse crackdown on women

    NEW YORK, UNITED NATIONS — In a rare show of unified global action on the spiraling crisis in Afghanistan, the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Monday to approve a groundbreaking resolution that presses the country’s Taliban leadership to immediately roll back its harsh restrictions on women’s rights, while also mandating action to root out militant groups operating within Afghan borders that Pakistan blames for cross-border attacks.

    Sponsored by China, the resolution marks a significant update to the U.N.’s long-running diplomatic and humanitarian engagement in Afghanistan, extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) — the body’s official political presence in the country — through June 17, 2027. Beyond the mandate extension, the resolution lays out clear priorities for UNAMA moving forward: supporting the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid across the country without any form of discrimination, and advancing inclusive national and local governance that guarantees full, equal, meaningful and safe participation for women, ethnic and religious minorities, youth, and people with disabilities, regardless of gender, faith, or ethnic background.

    Monday’s vote comes on the heels of a fresh wave of repression against Afghan women that drew widespread international condemnation earlier this month. In Afghanistan’s western Herat Province, at least 30 women were taken into custody for alleged violations of the Taliban’s rigid Islamic dress code. The arrests sparked an uncommon public demonstration against the policy, which Taliban security forces violently dispersed. According to an official UNAMA statement, the crackdown left one protester dead and multiple others with injuries, including one staff member from medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) among those detained.

    The current restrictions on women and girls are the most sweeping since the Taliban retook full control of Afghanistan in 2021, following the chaotic military withdrawal of U.S.-led international coalition forces. The Islamist government has implemented a strict, hardline interpretation of Shariah law that includes draconian, unprecedented limits on female participation in public life: girls are banned from secondary and higher education, and women are barred from most formal employment sectors, with restrictions also extending to public space access. Ethnic and religious minority communities across the country have also faced growing targeted repression under Taliban rule.

    Beyond women’s rights, the resolution addresses escalating regional tensions between Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, which has repeatedly accused the Taliban administration of harboring militant groups that carry out deadly terrorist attacks inside Pakistani territory. The Taliban has consistently denied these allegations, but the standoff between the two neighbors has erupted into open cross-border violence in recent months. Since February, when the Taliban launched retaliatory strikes against Pakistani military positions following Pakistani airstrikes on militant targets inside Afghanistan, hundreds of people on both sides have been killed in repeated clashes.

    Chinese U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong, who led the resolution drafting, emphasized after the vote that the international community’s core goal is to encourage the Taliban to shift toward more inclusive governance. “We hope that the Afghan government will take more proactive measures to protect human rights, especially the rights of women, and project an image of openness, inclusivity and responsibility,” Fu told reporters following the unanimous vote.

    U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Jennifer Locetta echoed the call for immediate Taliban action, noting that political progress in Afghanistan depends on the regime meeting its international commitments. “For that political process to succeed, the Taliban must act,” Locetta said. “The Taliban must meet their counterterrorism commitments, respect Afghanistan’s international obligations, end hostage diplomacy, and cease their unconscionable abuses of the human rights of women and girls.”

    Pakistan’s U.N. Ambassador Asim Ahmad welcomed the resolution’s explicit recognition of the terrorist threat emanating from Afghan soil, noting that the text “expresses the council’s serious concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, which continue to constitute a threat to international peace and security.”

    In addition to its humanitarian and security mandates, the resolution expands UNAMA’s authority to support long-term economic stability in Afghanistan, a country grappling with one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The mission is now authorized to facilitate legitimate commercial and financial activity with Afghanistan, and to support international efforts to repatriate frozen Afghan Central Bank assets back to the country “for the benefit of the Afghan people.” The resolution also tasks UNAMA with facilitating dialogue between the Taliban administration, regional neighboring states, and the broader global community to advance a peaceful, inclusive political process for the country.

  • Scaloni: Argentina’s World Cup opener vs. Algeria is important but not decisive as it defends title

    Scaloni: Argentina’s World Cup opener vs. Algeria is important but not decisive as it defends title

    KANSAS CITY, Missouri — As reigning World Cup champions, Argentina head into their 2026 tournament opening clash with Algeria on Tuesday brimming with quiet confidence, but carrying hard-won perspective from their dramatic 2022 Qatar run that proved a rocky start does not define a team’s entire campaign. Four years ago, La Albiceleste suffered one of the most shocking opening-match upsets in World Cup history, falling to Saudi Arabia in their group stage opener. Rather than crumbling, the side rallied, clinching wins against Mexico and Poland to advance, outlasted the Netherlands in a tense penalty shootout in the quarterfinals, and ultimately secured their third world title with another dramatic penalty victory over France.

    Speaking to reporters the day before kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium, head coach Lionel Scaloni emphasized that while the opening match carries importance, it will not make or break Argentina’s title defense bid. “We’ve got the experience of the last World Cup to draw from,” Scaloni said via an interpreter. “So this first match is not critical. It matters, but the tournament doesn’t end after 90 minutes on opening day.”

    Only two nations in World Cup history have successfully defended their title: Italy in 1938 and Brazil in 1962, a statistic that adds extra weight to Argentina’s historic bid this year. Despite the pressure, Scaloni said the side has entered the tournament in peak form. “We’re happy, assured and confident,” he added. “We’re here at a very good moment heading into the opener.”

    While Scaloni confirmed he would not finalize his starting lineup until after Monday’s final training session, he delivered largely positive injury updates for the star-studded squad. A handful of key players, including eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez, Real Madrid prospect Nico Paz, and starting goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, have all dealt with minor fitness issues in the lead-up to the tournament. Martinez is set to start despite a fractured ring finger, while Alvarez has recovered fully from an ankle injury to be available for selection. “We’ve taken excellent care of Julian, and he arrives in optimal condition,” Scaloni said. “His recovery has been huge for us, because he’s a key attacking option for tomorrow.” Only Paz remains sidelined with a lingering knee injury, and Scaloni noted that no other player is dealing with a serious injury. The only unresolved fitness question surrounds defender Nicolas Tagliafico, who has been managing a small muscle tear in his left calf.

    Messi, who is set to make his historic sixth World Cup appearance at 38 years old, has silenced any concerns over his mild hamstring strain. The forward has not spoken to the media since arriving at Argentina’s Kansas City base camp two weeks ago, but on-pitch glimpses from training have shown the legend looking sharp and relaxed. He eased worries last week when he logged 20 minutes of game time and found the back of the net in a warm-up friendly against Iceland. Scaloni noted that Messi’s presence extends far beyond the pitch for the global tournament. “Not only Argentinians — people across the entire world want to see him play,” Scaloni said. “Everybody wants to see him out on the pitch, because he means so much to fans not just from our country, but to supporters everywhere.”

    The Argentine camp also took a key lesson from the day’s earlier 2026 World Cup action, when heavily favored Spain was held to a surprise scoreless draw by underdog Cape Verde in one of the first big upsets of the expanded 48-team tournament. Scaloni and defender Nicolas Otamendi learned of the result while traveling to Arrowhead Stadium for their pre-match press conference, and the outcome served as a stark warning that no opponent can be overlooked in the expanded tournament format. “There are no easy rivals here,” Scaloni said. “Every team earned their place at this World Cup, and we are fully focused on Algeria. They have top-quality players across the pitch, and this will be a great test for us — not the definitive one, but a test we have to be ready for.”

    Algeria’s coaching staff and players have also taken note of Cape Verde’s result, and are embracing their underdog status heading into the matchup. “Of course we are not favored to win this match,” Algeria head coach Vladimir Petkovic acknowledged. “But as we’ve already seen at this World Cup, upsets can happen, and we are going to do everything we can to pull one off tomorrow.”

    After both sides dealt with severe weather disruptions in the lead-up to the match — including two tornado warnings for Argentina’s camp and severe storms at Algeria’s training base in nearby Lawrence, Kansas, plus heat indexes nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit at points — the forecast for Tuesday night’s kickoff is nearly ideal. Game time is set for 8 p.m. local time, with temperatures expected to hover around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) and almost no chance of rain interrupting play.

  • US-Iran deal’s economic dividend will flow mainly to Asia

    US-Iran deal’s economic dividend will flow mainly to Asia

    Global financial markets reacted swiftly and predictably to the newly announced US-Iran peace deal: crude oil prices plummeted, stock markets around the world rallied, and investors have already begun projecting the potential inflation relief that could follow if the Strait of Hormuz fully reopens to shipping and global energy supplies return to normal operations.

    However, deVere Group founder and CEO Nigel Green argues that the mainstream market consensus still underestimates the far-reaching implications of this diplomatic breakthrough. If the agreement is successfully sustained – a critical caveat that cannot be overlooked – the largest economic gains will not flow to Iran, the United States, or European economies. Instead, Asia will emerge as the primary beneficiary.

    This advantage extends far beyond the region’s obvious gains from lower global oil prices, though that benefit is substantial. Between 85% and 90% of all crude oil transported through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for global energy trade, is ultimately delivered to Asian markets. No other region is as reliant on the unimpeded flow of energy, commerce, and capital through the Gulf region, making any resolution of tensions there disproportionately impactful for Asian economies.

    Roughly one-fifth of total global oil consumption passes through the strait, alongside a large share of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade. When tensions disrupted shipping through the corridor earlier this year, Asian economies bore the brunt of the fallout. Data from earlier this month confirmed that increased shipments of US crude to Asia were nowhere near enough to offset the lost Gulf supplies during the peak of the crisis, while Asian LNG markets also faced major supply disruptions and price volatility as energy flows tightened.

    For this reason, the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz represents far more than just the resumption of regular oil shipments. It restores a vital economic lifeline to the world’s most energy-dependent growth region.

    India offers a clear illustration of the scale of potential gains. As the world’s third-largest crude oil importer, with roughly 85% of its total crude demand met by overseas purchases, India is uniquely positioned to see immediate benefits from falling energy costs. Any sustained drop in oil prices eases domestic inflationary pressure, strengthens the country’s current account position, provides support for the rupee, and improves the Indian government’s fiscal balance. Few major advanced or emerging economies have such a direct, clear link between lower oil prices and accelerated economic growth, meaning India could see a significant economic boost without implementing major domestic policy reforms or transformative breakthroughs.

    These positive spillover effects reach far beyond India. Japan imports more than 90% of its total oil demand, while South Korea sources the majority of its crude from Middle Eastern producers. Lower oil and LNG costs directly improve industrial competitiveness, protect corporate profit margins, and reduce cost-of-living pressure for household consumers.

    China may actually benefit more than current market pricing suggests. As the world’s largest crude importer, bringing in roughly 11 million barrels of oil per day, China has navigated years of slowing domestic growth, soft consumer demand, and pressure on industrial profitability. A lasting reduction in energy costs would provide broad, meaningful support to manufacturing supply chains across the country. Equally important, reduced geopolitical instability in the Gulf eliminates a major source of uncertainty for one of China’s most critical trade and energy routes. For Chinese policymakers, this increased predictability may be almost as valuable as the direct savings from cheaper oil.

    Southeast Asian economies also stand to gain. Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia all stand to benefit from lower import costs and reduced inflationary pressure. A more stable energy market supports governments, consumers, and businesses alike, while also boosting the region’s appeal as a destination for multinational corporations continuing to diversify their global manufacturing operations across Asia.

    Even so, focusing solely on oil price shifts risks overlooking a bigger, underreported story. The most consequential long-term impact of a lasting US-Iran agreement may lie in its effect on regional monetary policy across Asia. During the height of the Hormuz crisis, central banks across Asia and the globe were forced to adjust their policy outlooks to account for renewed inflation risks tied to spiking energy costs. A sustained drop in oil prices rewrites this policy calculus: lower inflation creates new room for policymakers to support economic growth, loosen financial conditions, and reduce cost pressure on households.

    This shift should draw particular attention from global investors. For years, Asian equities have struggled to compete with the strong gravitational pull of US markets. Persistently higher US interest rates, a stronger US dollar, and repeated global geopolitical shocks have consistently tilted investor preference toward American assets. But a combination of lower energy prices, easing inflation, and improved growth prospects could strengthen the case for increasing exposure to Asian equities at a time when global investors are already actively searching for opportunities outside of overbought US markets.

    There are also broader strategic implications to consider. For years, investors have framed analysis of Asian economies through the persistent lens of trade disputes, supply chain disruptions, tariffs, and geopolitical rivalry. While these themes are unlikely to disappear entirely, a durable US-Iran agreement would deliver something global markets have seen very little of in recent years: a meaningful reduction in geopolitical friction. For a region that depends more heavily on cross-border trade, stable shipping lanes, and imported energy than any other, this reduction in risk carries enormous value.

    That said, caution remains the prudent approach for market participants. Investors have well-founded reasons to remain wary. Some will frame the deal as a historic diplomatic breakthrough, while others dismiss it as a temporary truce that allows all sides – particularly the White House – to claim a political win while delaying difficult negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions enforcement, and regional influence ambitions. The history of Middle Eastern diplomacy is full of agreements that sparked initial optimism before collapsing against entrenched political realities, so investors should resist the urge to treat lasting peace as a foregone conclusion.

    Even so, they should not underestimate the scale of potential economic benefits if the agreement holds, even partially. Global markets have largely focused on the immediate impact of the deal on oil prices, but Asia should be preparing for sustained, broad-based growth. If the agreement endures, the region could receive the most significant externally driven economic stimulus it has seen in years – one that simultaneously lowers energy costs, eases inflationary pressure, supports cross-border trade, and improves overall financial conditions. This confluence of positive economic shocks is a rare opportunity that does not come along often.

  • Israeli army ‘murdered father and son’ in Gaza and then dumped bodies

    Israeli army ‘murdered father and son’ in Gaza and then dumped bodies

    The Gaza Strip has been marked by ongoing civilian bloodshed even after the October 2023 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with a new fatal incident near the Israeli-demarcated “yellow line” buffer zone laying bare the dangers facing Palestinian civilians who tend to their land in border areas.

    On a routine Sunday afternoon trip to check farmland in Wadi al-Salqa, located just 150 meters from the yellow line that marks Israel’s military perimeter inside Gaza, 32-year-old Palestinian farmer Baha Abu al-Ajeen brought his three-year-old son Rayan and his brother-in-law Khaled Abu Gharaba from their home in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. What began as an ordinary work outing quickly devolved into an unthinkable tragedy, the Abu al-Ajeen family says.

    When the three unexpectedly encountered Israeli soldiers hiding inside a local home, troops opened fire without any warning or provocation, according to Nawaf Abu al-Ajeen, the family’s elder and a relative of Baha, who spoke to independent outlet Middle East Eye. A bullet tore through three-year-old Rayan’s eye and exited the back of his skull, killing the child instantly as he was held in his father’s arms. A second bullet struck Baha in the leg, leaving him bleeding profusely.

    Instead of providing urgent medical care to the wounded, Israeli forces left the family bleeding on the ground before arresting all three, transporting them to the Kissufim military base. For hours, a wounded Baha remained in detention clutching his son’s lifeless body, alongside the unharmed Khaled who was also held. Nearly six hours after the shooting, soldiers dumped the injured father and his dead child on the central Gaza Salah al-Din Street before withdrawing.

    Nawaf told MEE that after receiving word of the abandoned pair from local witnesses, family members traveled to the street and confirmed the identity of Baha and Rayan. The pair were rushed to Deir al-Balah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where medical staff officially pronounced Rayan dead. Doctors stabilized Baha’s fractured leg with surgical hardware, and he remains hospitalized in stable condition, while his brother-in-law Khaled remains in Israeli detention with no updates on his condition or whereabouts.

    The child was buried on Monday afternoon, his body returned to his mother who remains inconsolable. “An ordinary day turned into a living hell we will never forget,” Nawaf said.

    The Israeli military issued a standard claim following the incident, asserting that Sunday evening it had opened fire on what it described as members of an armed cell approaching the yellow line. Hospital spokesperson Khalil al-Daqran confirmed the details of the incident to MEE, matching the family’s account: “The bullet pierced the child’s head, and he arrived deceased hours ago. The father is in stable condition with a leg injury and is receiving treatment.”

    This deadly shooting is far from an isolated incident, according to UN and human rights data compiled since the ceasefire took effect. In a May report, the UN Human Rights Office found that roughly one-third of all Palestinians killed by Israeli forces after the ceasefire agreement were shot in areas near the border buffer line with Hamas, raising alarming allegations that Israeli troops are deliberately targeting civilians merely for approaching the restricted zone. The office concluded that “such actions would constitute unlawful killings and are therefore war crimes.”

    Ajith Sungai, director of the UN Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territory, called the consistent pattern of civilian deaths “disturbing.” “Civilians don’t appear to have posed any threat to the lives of Israeli soldiers, including in some cases where they appear to have been shot while carrying out daily activities, or after approaching or crossing what is known as the Israeli ‘yellow line,’” Sungai noted in a press statement.

    As of 5 February, UN data records that 453 Palestinians have been killed in the post-ceasefire period, 152 of which occurred near the yellow line buffer zone—including 102 men, 15 women, 24 boys, and 11 girls. Official data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health published this Monday puts the total post-ceasefire Palestinian death toll at 992, with an additional 3,144 people wounded across the Gaza Strip.

    Alaa Skafi, director of the Gaza-based Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights, told MEE that Israel currently classifies 65 percent of the entire Gaza Strip as restricted “yellow” or “red” zones. Skafi explained that even when civilians pose no credible threat to Israeli forces, any person who approaches these restricted areas or the yellow line is targeted with gunfire or arrested under the ready-made pretext of threatening military positions. Civilians are targeted by sniper fire, tank shelling, and drone strikes, he added.

    Skafi also alleged that Israel intentionally manipulates the border demarcation to target civilians: even though Israel places yellow concrete blocks to mark the restricted zone near the Salah al-Din Line that splits Gaza east to west, troops regularly move the markers westward, then open fire on civilians who cross the shifted line under the claim they entered restricted territory. “Israel uses ready-made justifications to legitimise the killing of civilians near the Yellow Line and employs new methods of killing, either by soldiers or by members of its affiliated armed groups,” Skafi said.

  • Road to US-Iran deal ran through Pakistan

    Road to US-Iran deal ran through Pakistan

    On June 15, the United States and Iran announced a landmark memorandum of understanding that stands to reshape regional security dynamics across the Middle East, marking one of the most consequential diplomatic breakthroughs in the region in recent years. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the framework agreement had been finalized, announcing two immediate confidence-building measures: the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint, and the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade on the waterway. Iranian officials have echoed confirmation of the deal, noting that formal negotiations over outstanding sticking points will continue over the next 60 weeks, with a formal signing scheduled to take place in Geneva on June 19.

    The agreement followed weeks of behind-the-scenes diplomacy, with Pakistan taking a central role as the lead intermediary that brought the two long-hostile parties back to the negotiating table. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government led the mediation effort, announced the ceasefire ahead of the official U.S. confirmation, capping off weeks of intensive engagement with Iranian authorities, Gulf regional states, and U.S. diplomatic teams. While Qatar and other regional actors also contributed heavily to de-escalation efforts, Islamabad ultimately emerged as the primary channel for direct dialogue between Washington and Tehran.

    Pakistan’s prominent role in the deal was neither a random outcome nor an inevitable assignment. For decades, Oman has served as a quiet backchannel between the U.S. and Iran, and Qatar has built a reputation as one of the Middle East’s most active neutral mediators. However, the crisis that preceded this agreement, sparked by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, escalated into a multifaceted threat touching maritime security, global energy markets, and broad regional stability that directly impacted Gulf states including Qatar, creating a need for a new mediation channel.

    As tensions mounted, Pakistan’s role grew increasingly visible. Early rounds of high-stakes talks between senior American and Iranian delegates were hosted in Islamabad, and in the final push to avoid further military escalation, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir traveled directly to Tehran to hold security-focused talks with Iranian leadership. Pakistani diplomats and security officials simultaneously maintained constant communication with other key regional stakeholders, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, while keeping U.S. counterparts updated at every step of the process.

    While the framework agreement was the product of collaborative effort across multiple negotiating parties, Pakistan carved out a unique and central role thanks to its specific diplomatic advantages. Unlike many other potential mediators, Pakistan maintained established working relationships with both Washington and Tehran at a time when direct communication between the two principal parties had broken down almost entirely. Its geographic proximity to Iran, longstanding security ties to both sides, and broad regional diplomatic reach made it an ideal trusted intermediary when the urgency to de-escalate grew.

    Another key strength of Pakistan’s mediation effort was the unprecedented coordination between its civilian political leadership and military security institutions. Prime Minister Sharif provided public political leadership and set the overarching diplomatic framework for the talks, while General Munir leveraged his established regional security contacts to engage directly with Iranian defense and decision-making circles. In a crisis centered on military escalation, deterrence, and security risks, direct communication between security establishments proved just as critical as traditional diplomatic negotiations, allowing Islamabad to deliver clear, credible messages that addressed both political and security concerns for all parties.

    The resulting document is not a full, permanent peace treaty, but a foundational framework designed to halt immediate escalation and create space for detailed negotiations on unresolved core issues. Even so, bringing the two bitter rivals to this point represents a significant diplomatic achievement on its own.

    Beyond the immediate gains of a ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the agreement marks a notable shift in Pakistan’s global diplomatic profile. For years, Pakistan’s international standing has largely been defined by domestic security challenges, economic instability, and regional rivalries. This breakthrough offers a new narrative: Pakistan as a reliable, effective facilitator of high-stakes diplomacy during a major regional crisis.

    Pakistan’s role also fits into a growing global trend: as competition between major world powers intensifies, middle powers are increasingly carving out space to shape global outcomes through proactive mediation. Qatar led groundbreaking negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban, Oman has repeatedly provided backchannels between Washington and Tehran during past periods of tension, and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. What unites all these cases is not massive military power, but broad diplomatic access: states that maintain working relationships across competing blocs are uniquely positioned to resolve crises that larger powers cannot address directly.

    Unlike traditional mediators that only provide a venue for talks, Pakistan took a comprehensive approach, combining high-level political outreach, security-to-security engagement, and in-person hosting of negotiating sessions in Islamabad. This expanded role explains why the country became increasingly central to the process as the crisis moved from open confrontation to negotiated de-escalation. In recent years, Pakistan has deepened its diplomatic engagement with Gulf states, maintained stable ties with Tehran, and expanded its diplomatic outreach beyond South Asia, giving it greater flexibility to respond to regional crises. For a country dependent on energy imports, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz also carries direct, tangible economic benefits.

    Still, the breakthrough carries significant risks that cannot be overlooked. The current document is only a memorandum of understanding, not a comprehensive final settlement. The most contentious core issues – including U.S. sanctions relief, the long-term rules for Hormuz shipping, and the future of Iran’s nuclear program – remain unresolved. Disagreements have already emerged over the scope of the framework: Iranian officials claim the deal covers all active fronts including Lebanon, while Israeli officials have offered a far more narrow, cautious interpretation of the agreement’s terms. These differences could complicate negotiations over the coming 60 days.

    For Pakistan, the outcome of the next phase of talks will shape its new diplomatic reputation. If negotiations succeed, Islamabad’s standing as a trusted regional mediator will grow substantially. If talks collapse, as many past Middle East diplomatic agreements have done amid intractable unresolved disputes, Pakistan will face greater diplomatic challenges, having invested significant political capital in the process.

    Regardless of the final outcome, the framework agreement will be remembered for more than just its attempt to end a dangerous military confrontation. It also marks a turning point: the moment Pakistan demonstrated it can serve as an effective diplomatic bridge between competing major powers in a rapidly shifting regional and global order.

  • Cape Verde 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha turns in a ‘dream’ performance in his World Cup debut

    Cape Verde 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha turns in a ‘dream’ performance in his World Cup debut

    ATLANTA — For four decades, Vozinha carried one singular, burning dream: to step onto the world’s biggest soccer stage and represent the tiny island nation of Cape Verde at the FIFA World Cup. On Monday, that decades-long journey culminated in one of the most stunning upsets the tournament has seen in recent years, as the 40-year-old goalkeeper turned in a masterclass to shut down Spain’s star-studded attack and secure a historic 0-0 draw in Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup match.

    Despite being completely outpossessed and outshot by the pre-tournament favorites — Spain launched 27 attempts on goal, with seven testing Vozinha directly — the veteran keeper was unbeatable. He intercepted crosses, blocked point-blank shots, and organized his backline with unflappable poise, leaving Spanish forwards and their supporters growing increasingly frustrated as the clock ticked down. Even the much-anticipated second-half introduction of 16-year-old phenom Yamine Lamal, the youngest player to ever feature at a senior World Cup, could not find a way past Vozinha and his determined defensive unit.

    When the final whistle blew, the weight of the moment crashed over the 40-year-old. He bent over just in front of his goal and wept, before being swarmed and embraced by jubilant teammates, who had just secured a share of the points against one of the world’s top-ranked teams. For a nation that had never before qualified for the World Cup, the result was already a win; holding Spain to a draw was nothing short of historic.

    In post-match interviews, Vozinha opened up about the personal emotion of the moment, revealing that many of the people who shaped him could not be there to see his career-defining performance. The goalkeeper was raised by his grandparents, who both passed away in recent years, and his mother was unable to secure a U.S. visa in time to travel to the match due to financial constraints. “When I think about them, I just get overwhelmed with emotion,” he said.

    Vozinha’s path to this World Cup moment was far from conventional. He did not even make his professional debut until he was 25, when he first took the field for Angola’s Progresso. Over the decades that followed, he carved out a nomadic club career, plying his trade in Moldova, Cyprus, Slovakia, and now Portugal, where he plies his trade for Chaves in the country’s second division. He earned his first cap for the Cape Verde national team in 2012, and there were points along the way where he considered stepping away from international soccer. But he never gave up on the dream.

    “I have worked my whole life for this, for this exact moment, for this dream,” he said. “So many generations before us dreamed of this day and never got the chance to achieve it. Now, that dream has come true.”

    Even his unusual nickname, Vozinha — which means “grandmother” in Portuguese — is tied to his roots. As a child, older players bullied him on local soccer fields, taunting him with the name because he would run home crying to his grandmother after rough matches. Years later, the nickname stuck permanently when another teammate at his first professional club shared his birth name, Josimar.

    Teammates say Vozinha’s performance on Monday was the perfect reflection of the leadership he brings to the team every day. Steven Moreira, one of his fellow squad members, joked that the team often teases the keeper about his age, but added that he is immensely proud of the veteran. “He’s a big legend, and that was a crazy game,” Moreira said. “It just goes to show that age doesn’t matter when you have the heart and the will to win.”

    Pico Lopes echoed that sentiment, noting that Vozinha is often the strictest member of the squad in training, constantly pushing his teammates to show up on time and play to their full potential. “He lives and breathes Cape Verde,” Lopes said. “He’s always pushing us to be better, and today he led by example. That’s who he is.”

    The historic performance has already turned Vozinha into a global soccer sensation. In the hours after the final whistle, his Instagram follower count skyrocketed from roughly 50,000 to more than 2.4 million, as fans around the world rushed to follow the 40-year-old underdog who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.

  • ‘Israel is weaker’: Israeli political class reacts angrily to the US-Iran peace deal

    ‘Israel is weaker’: Israeli political class reacts angrily to the US-Iran peace deal

    On a tense Monday morning in Israel, public and political outrage swept the nation following a Sunday evening announcement from Pakistani mediator Shehbaz Sharif that Washington and Tehran had finalized a comprehensive peace agreement to end months of open conflict.

    Sharif, who stepped in as lead negotiator after the joint Israeli-US military campaign against Iran launched in February, confirmed the breakthrough in a post on his official X account. The Pakistani prime minister outlined that the draft deal requires an immediate and permanent ceasefire across all active theaters of conflict, including neighboring Lebanon. He also publicly thanked rival of Israel Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia for their behind-the-scenes support during the months-long negotiation process, noting the formal signing ceremony would be held this coming Friday in Switzerland.

    Within hours of Sharif’s announcement, both US and Iranian officials corroborated the agreement. Former US President Donald Trump called the deal “complete,” while Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed a finalized text would be officially signed within 60 days.

    Despite repeated confirmation from Pakistan, Iran, and the US that the deal mandates a ceasefire across all fronts including Lebanon, Israeli leadership immediately rejected the ceasefire clause and made clear the country does not consider itself bound by the terms of the agreement. Even as political backlash mounted, the Israeli Defense Forces launched a new wave of airstrikes and ground operations across southern Lebanon on Monday.

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has not yet delivered a public address on the diplomatic breakthrough, privately told Trump that Israel would reject any Iranian terms related to Lebanon, according to Israeli news outlet Ynet. Defense Minister Israel Katz doubled down on Netanyahu’s position in a public statement Monday, asserting that Israeli military forces would maintain an indefinite presence in security zones across Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. Katz added that Israeli forces would continue clearing civilian populations from occupied territories and destroying residential structures classified as “terror infrastructure.”

    Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who previously called for the total destruction of residential buildings in Beirut in response to Hezbollah attacks, took to X to voice fierce opposition to the deal. “The agreement with Iran is bad for Israel and for the entire free world,” Smotrich wrote, adding that Israel would be forced to continue its military campaign against Iran independently and would retain full operational freedom for its forces in Lebanon regardless of the US-brokered deal.

    National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, another far-right member of Netanyahu’s governing coalition, echoed Smotrich’s rejection in his own X post. “Trump’s agreement does not bind us,” Ben Gvir wrote. “Israel is not a subordinate of the United States, and we are an independent and sovereign state. Israel is not a banana republic.” He added that the deal fails to safeguard Israel’s national security and “does not bind us in any way.” Multiple other sitting cabinet members also publicly pledged to continue military strikes against Iran despite the ceasefire agreement.

    Culture Minister Miki Zohar told Ynet that his government’s only core concern is Iran’s nuclear weapons program. “If Israel sees that its security is in danger, it will strike Iran with force,” Zohar said. “Iranians will not only get down on their knees, but they will bow their heads as well.”

    While most governing coalition members have avoided direct public criticism of Trump and Netanyahu, anger has spilled over across the Israeli political spectrum, with pro-Netanyahu media figures launching vitriolic attacks against US leadership. Yinon Magal, a prominent journalist with Israeli outlet Channel 14 widely viewed as a mouthpiece for Netanyahu, wrote on X that Israel had been abandoned by its closest ally amid its wars in Iran and Lebanon. Magal went on to label Trump a “loser” and Vice President JD Vance “scum,” and deployed a well-documented antisemitic slur to refer to US Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, calling them “little Jews.”

    Another Channel 14 journalist, Shimon Riklin, argued Monday that “what Israel needs more than anything right now is sovereignty,” adding that the country must remind “treacherous America” that it prioritizes its own independent national interests.

    The Israel Defense and Security Forum, a prominent right-wing Israeli think tank, issued a statement Monday arguing that “every agreement with the Iranian terrorist regime is ultimately doomed to fail, and the current agreement will be no different.” The group added that “this is the time to stand tall, prepare for what lies ahead, and not compromise on Israel’s interests in removing the threat from Lebanon and Iran.”

    Opposition political figures across the ideological spectrum have seized on the diplomatic rupture to attack Netanyahu’s leadership and his handling of the ongoing war. Yair Golan, leader of the centre-left Democrats party, described Netanyahu as “weak, ill, isolated and lacking influence.” Golan argued that the deal allows for billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets to be unfrozen while leaving Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs fully intact, representing “years of failure” of Netanyahu’s Iran policy that has left “Israel weaker.”

    Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli army chief of staff and potential future prime ministerial candidate, said the agreement fails to address any of Israel’s core security concerns. He added that nearly three years of conflict following the October 7 debacle have culminated in “a grim result of a failed government.”

    Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett also joined the criticism of Netanyahu’s administration, saying it “is incapable of making decisive decisions and has led us into wars of attrition and stagnation.” Bennett pledged to oust Netanyahu in upcoming national elections, fix what he called the prime minister’s policy failures, and claimed he has a concrete plan to remove the current Iranian leadership from power.

  • The 40-year-old keeper who inspired Cape Verde’s historic debut

    The 40-year-old keeper who inspired Cape Verde’s historic debut

    When the final whistle echoed across Atlanta Stadium on matchday one of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first person the broadcast cameras found was Cape Verde’s veteran goalkeeper Josimar Dias, universally known by his nickname Vozinha. Tears streamed down the 40-year-old’s cheeks, as the full weight of the historic moment he had just delivered for his tiny island nation finally set in: his side had held four-time World Cup winners Spain, one of the pre-tournament favorites, to a stunning 0-0 draw.

    The stands erupted into blue, red and white chaos as thousands of traveling Cape Verde supporters, who had cheered nonstop through 90 minutes of relentless Spanish pressure, flooded together to celebrate. Players embraced each other wildly on the pitch, their joy unconfined. Even neutral fans watching in the stadium and around the world were swept up in the underdog story, joining in the celebrations by full time.

    Against the reigning European champions, Vozinha turned in the performance of a lifetime to secure a heroic clean sheet and what is already the most iconic result in Cape Verde’s 50-year history as an independent footballing nation. Named player of the match for his seven crucial saves, Vozinha opened up about the emotion of the moment after the final whistle, explaining that his tears came from a deeply personal place.

    “I cried because I grew up with my grandparents,” he told reporters. “Unfortunately they were not here. They died a few years before. They were everything for me, everything for my life. And also because of my mum. She didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. Because of the money you have to pay for the visa, we didn’t manage on time. I would like her to be here.”

    Beyond the personal grief and longing, Vozinha emphasized that the result was a product of the one strength his small side has always relied on: collective unity. “Our best weapon is our unity,” he said. “Regardless of the player who arrives today, or the player who is 10 or 15 years old, the way we treat our family is our greatest strength. Everyone thought that we came here just to enjoy the World Cup, but no, we know that we have teams that we will always respect, because this is our first time, but we are here to compete, and we are here to fight for our country.”

    For Vozinha, this history-making moment was decades in the making. Born in Mindelo on the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde, an isolated archipelago 600 kilometers off the west coast of Africa, he faced barriers to football from the very start of his career. Opportunities for young talent on the islands are extremely limited, and even when he proved himself as one of the best young goalkeepers on his island, he was repeatedly passed over because selectors thought he was too short.

    It took until 2012, when he was 25 years old — considered extremely late for a player to turn professional — for Vozinha to kick off his pro career, moving to former colonial ruler Portugal to chase opportunities. He spent years bouncing between clubs across Slovakia, Angola, Moldova and Cyprus before settling at second-tier Portuguese side Chaves, never giving up on his dream of reaching the World Cup with his national side. At one point, he even considered walking away from international football, but his lifelong dream pushed him to keep going.

    Even his name carries a connection to World Cup history: his father originally wanted to name him Valdano, after Argentine 1986 World Cup winner Jorge Valdano, but Cape Verdean authorities rejected the name, so he was named Josimar instead, after Brazilian defender Josimar, who became a global star at that same 1986 tournament. Decades later, on a new World Cup stage, Vozinha has written his own chapter of football history.

    At 40 years and 12 days old, Vozinha entered the record books as the oldest player to debut in a nation’s first ever World Cup match, breaking the record set just days earlier by Curaçao’s Eloy Room. Only Egypt’s Essam El Hadary, who debuted at 43, has ever been older when making their first World Cup appearance. His seven saves against Spain also put him in rare company: he is only the second goalkeeper over 40 to make seven or more saves in a single World Cup match, after Northern Ireland’s Pat Jennings, who made 10 against Brazil on his 41st birthday in 1986.

    Every save Vozinha made was greeted by the Cape Verde crowd like a winning goal, and the moment quickly went viral around the world. Brazilian YouTube channel CazeTV, which holds World Cup broadcast rights in Brazil, encouraged their audience to follow Vozinha on Instagram — and in less than 24 hours, his follower count surged from 50,000 to more than five million. When reporters told him of his new global fame, he simply laughed and said, “That is crazy.”

    Football pundits around the world were quick to praise Vozinha and the entire Cape Verde side for their historic performance. Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin said the goalkeeper “lit up this game”, telling BBC 5 Live: “He has been absolutely brilliant. He’s done it at 40 years of age. Every single camera is on him, all his players are pointing to him. It is a beautiful moment. Cape Verde spent the vast majority of the game in their own 18-yard box — not all of it, and when they broke they were brave and they broke in numbers. To do that and to keep that level of concentration, you don’t do that if you’re a bunch of individuals, you only do that if you’re a team.”

    Former England defender Lee Dixon, commentating for ITV, echoed that praise, saying: “It’s absolutely fantastic. A brilliant performance. They deserve that point more than anything and Spain almost don’t deserve a point. They walk off disappointed but the night is Cape Verde’s. What a performance from every single one of them, the centre halves, the full-backs, that man there crying – I’m almost crying myself.”

    For Cape Verde, a nation of just 590,000 people that ranks as the third smallest country ever to qualify for a World Cup, no bigger in area than the English city of Sheffield, this result carries far more weight than a single point in the group stage. It is a testament to the power of perseverance, teamwork, and the underdog spirit that makes the World Cup the world’s most beloved sporting event. By the final whistle, neutrals across the globe had already fallen for Cape Verde’s story — and a 40-year-old goalkeeper who spent his whole life chasing a dream had turned that dream into history.

  • Senegal looks to repeat 2002 World Cup upset of France that set off dancing in Dakar’s streets

    Senegal looks to repeat 2002 World Cup upset of France that set off dancing in Dakar’s streets

    EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Ahead of their Group I World Cup clash on Tuesday, two-time World Cup champion France and 2002 Cinderella story Senegal are preparing to write a new chapter in their unique shared football history, a rivalry rooted in Senegal’s former status as a French colony and defined by one of the most shocking upsets in modern tournament history.

    In the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, then-defending champion France fell 1-0 to the unheralded Senegalese side, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga. The historic upset sent waves of celebration across Senegal, where then-President Abdoulaye Wade declared an immediate national holiday to honor the win. Papa Bouba Diop scored the game’s only goal in the 30th minute, and Senegal went on to reach the quarterfinals before bowing out to Turkey, while France left the tournament winless and eliminated in the group stage – a result that remains one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.

    More than two decades later, the rematch has generated huge global attention, though both sides have downplayed any talk of revenge for the 2002 result. For France, six of its current squad were not even born when the 2002 upset occurred. Midfielder N’Golo Kanté emphasized Monday that the team is focused on progress in the current tournament, not settling old scores.

    “Not for revenge do we want to win, but we want to go as far as possible in this competition,” Kanté said through a translator. “Our main opponent is ourselves. We cannot see ourselves too beautiful or too strong.”

    French head coach Didier Deschamps echoed that sentiment, noting that the 2002 result is history, and Tuesday’s match will be an entirely new contest. The two-time World Cup winner (as a player in 1998 and head coach in 2018) is on the cusp of a major coaching milestone Tuesday: the match will mark his 20th World Cup game at the helm of Les Bleus, just five games short of Helmut Schön’s all-time record for World Cup matches coached, set with West Germany. Deschamps, who will retire from his post this summer after 12 years leading the French national team, is one of only three people in history to win the World Cup as both a player and a coach, alongside Brazil’s Mário Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer. France, currently ranked third in the global FIFA rankings, is aiming to reach its third consecutive World Cup final, having won in 2018 and fallen to Argentina in a penalty shootout in the 2022 final.

    For Senegal, the match carries deep symbolic weight, and current head coach Pape Thiaw brings unique personal context to the contest. Thiaw was a member of the 2002 Senegalese squad, appearing in the team’s round of 16 upset win over Sweden. Ahead of Tuesday’s game, he plans to pass on lessons learned from Bruno Metsu, the legendary late head coach who led the 2002 side to its iconic run.

    “Of course, there is going to be a Bruno effect when I’m going to be talking to my players tomorrow,” Thiaw said through a translator. “I will also add my personal touch and also add what Bruno taught me along the way.”

    Thiaw acknowledged that the match against France has unique meaning beyond football, given the two countries’ shared historical ties. “We know that a game between France and Senegal is a very symbolic game,” he said.

    Off the pitch, a visa issue has prevented many fans traveling directly from Senegal from entering the U.S. for the match, but Thiaw says he still expects a massive show of Senegalese support at MetLife Stadium, thanks to the large expatriate Senegalese community in the country. “Of course we’d like to have our fans. We know what they can do for us. They push us,” Thiaw said. “But we have a major Senegalese community and we know that the Senegalese is very patriotic and they like their national team. You will see this tomorrow. You won’t even believe it that no Senegalese came over from Senegal.”

    Senegal, ranked 16th globally, comes into the match with its own recent continental success: the side won the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, but its 2024 title defense ended in controversy after a 1-0 final win over Morocco was overturned to a 3-0 forfeit loss when Senegal players left the pitch for 15 minutes during stoppage time to protest a late penalty awarded to Morocco. Senegal has appealed the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and Thiaw made clear the team still considers itself the rightful African champion. “For me we are champions of Africa, full stop,” he said.

    Weather conditions are not expected to be a major factor for the contest, which kicks off at 3 p.m. EDT at MetLife Stadium. Forecasters call for sunny skies with a kickoff temperature of roughly 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius), a noticeable drop from the extreme heat seen in the region over the previous weekend. France prepared for the conditions during training sessions at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts after arriving in the U.S. last Wednesday, with Kanté noting the team had already adjusted to playing in warm, sunny conditions.

  • US Air Force B-52 bomber plane crashes after take off in California

    US Air Force B-52 bomber plane crashes after take off in California

    A long-range B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force crashed minutes after departing Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California, base officials confirmed in an official statement released Friday.

    The crash incident was recorded at 11:20 a.m. local time, or 19:20 GMT. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, a massive column of thick black smoke billowed into the sky, visible from locations miles away from the impact site. As of the latest update, base authorities have not released any details confirming the presence or extent of injuries among the bomber’s crew or personnel on the ground.

    Per the base’s statement, local emergency response teams were dispatched to the crash site immediately after the incident was reported, and response operations remain active as crews work to secure the area and assess the situation. “More information will be provided as it becomes available,” the statement added. When reached for additional comment by BBC News, a base representative declined to offer further details on the ongoing incident.

    Aerial footage captured from the crash site, located in the remote Mojave Desert roughly 100 miles north of Los Angeles, shows a charred, still-smoking stretch of landscape where the bomber impacted.

    First introduced to US military service in the 1950s, the Boeing-built B-52 Stratofortress—nicknamed “the Buff,” short for “Big Ugly Fat Fellow”—remains a core component of America’s strategic aerial fleet decades after its debut. The colossal aircraft can reach cruising altitudes of up to 50,000 feet, some 15,000 feet higher than the typical cruising altitude of commercial airliners. It boasts a maximum payload capacity of 70,000 pounds, a capability that allows it to carry hundreds of conventional bombs or up to 32 nuclear cruise missiles. With mid-air refueling capability, the B-52 has an effectively unlimited strike range, a feature that made it a cornerstone of US nuclear deterrence during the Cold War era of Mutually Assured Destruction, when it patrolled constantly to maintain America’s nuclear umbrella. A standard B-52 crew consists of five service members: an aircraft commander, co-pilot, radar navigator, navigator, and electronic warfare officer.

    In recent weeks, B-52 bombers have been actively involved in US-led bombing operations against Iranian targets amid the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign in Iran.

    Multiple elected officials have already released public statements responding to the crash. Michigan Republican Congresswoman Lisa McClain was among the first, posting to social media platform X Saturday that her prayers are with all personnel affected by the incident. “I thank our brave first responders who are responding right now,” she wrote. “Our service members carry the weight of this nation’s defense every single day. We are with them.”

    This is an active developing breaking news story. Additional details surrounding the cause of the crash and any casualties will be released as new information becomes available.