As a 60-day temporary agreement between Iran and the United States approaches its expiration, Tehran is moving forward with plans to implement a new ‘insurance fee’ for commercial vessels transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to multiple international media reports. The proposal has already sparked deep divisions across the global shipping industry, stirred diplomatic tensions, and raised questions about the legal framework governing one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.
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How Japanese girl band XG went from brutal six year training to global pop stars
Before every performance, the seven members of global breakout pop group XG gather in a tight circle, lock hands, and share a pre-show chant that holds far deeper meaning than a simple pep talk. When leader Jurin calls out “Hesono,” the group roars back “Oh” and thrust their arms toward the sky. The phrase draws its roots from the Japanese word heso no o, meaning umbilical cord – a symbol of the inescapable, lifelong connection that has bound the band together since their earliest days.
“We’re so strongly connected, we’re always thinking the same things,” explains Chisa, the group’s oldest member. The concept came to her in a dream early in the group’s history, where she saw all seven members linked by an umbilical cord, just like a mother and child. “I threw that out as an idea for our identity. People said, ‘That’s so new and interesting’, and that’s how the concept of Hesono-o was born.”
BBC sat down with the full seven-piece lineup – Maya, Juria, Hinata, Harvey, Cocona, Chisa and Jurin – the morning after their triumphant, rain-drenched debut set at Capital’s Summertime Ball at London’s Wembley Stadium, where they earned a rapturous reception from thousands of British fans. Dressed in bold neon looks punctuated by tufts of faux fur and ornate belt buckles, each member brings a distinct personal style to the group: Cocona wears a necklace emblazoned with “rock star,” while Harvey’s stacked collection of bangles clinks with every step. But for all their individual flair, their synchronized energy and obvious camaraderie are impossible to miss; when answering questions, they huddle to confer before selecting a spokesperson, a small habit that reveals their deep-rooted teamwork.
That connection was forged over more than a decade, starting when some members were just 11 or 12 years old. In 2016, XG’s members were scouted from thousands of aspiring performers across Japan. Twenty-one finalists were selected to enter an intensive long-term training program, living together in group dorms while training from dawn to dusk in singing, dancing, and multilingual communication.
The training regimen was notoriously grueling. Behind-the-scenes documentary footage from the trainee era shows coaches scolding young trainees for posting casual dorm photos to social media, telling the teens “You’re never going to earn respect for doing that sort of thing.” Other clips show trainees repeating squats until they grew ill or broke down in tears from exhaustion. “It was the toughest and most difficult experience I’ve ever had,” Maya says of the years of training. “A battle against myself physically and mentally.” Looking back, Chisa describes the entire experience as an act of “pure survival.” It was only when candidates were split into small teams that the group’s signature sisterhood began to form.
“In a good way, we pushed each other to improve, so each team became really united,” Chisa explains. “From the middle to the later part of our trainee period, we started hanging out more – going out together, travelling, holding little sports days and things like that. We really loved watching movies together,” adds Hinata. “Especially scary movies, because we would all huddle up together under a blanket, being scared together. It was like we were real-life siblings, you know? That feeling is something I really love.”
After six years of rigorous preparation, the 21-person trainee pool was narrowed down to the final seven-member lineup, and XG made their public debut in 2022 with the single *Tippy Toes*. Built around a minimalist hip-hop beat, the track showcased the group’s seamless ability to shift from razor-sharp rap flows to melodic vocal runs, and its lyrics laid bare their ambitious global goals: “Understand that we didn’t come to play, here to dominate,” Hinata sang.
They made good on that promise later that same year with *Galz Xypher*, a track that saw the group’s rap line – Jurin, Maya, Harvey, and Cocona – trade verses across three languages over a sample patchwork that draws from Aretha Franklin’s *One Step Ahead* and Rosalía’s *Saoko*. The track became a viral sensation, spawning thousands of reaction videos on TikTok and racking up more than 49 million plays on YouTube to date. Subsequent releases, from the upbeat *Shooting Star* to the bold, confident *Woke Up*, solidified the group’s signature sound: a fusion of futuristic sci-fi aesthetics and the elastic, smooth grooves of 1990s R&B. By 2025, the group had earned a slot on the Coachella lineup, where they were the only Japanese act featured that year. “I still get chills when I watch it back,” Maya says. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’m gonna work hard until I can get back on that stage’.”
As XG’s career skyrocketed, youngest member Cocona underwent a deeply personal public journey. Last December, on their 20th birthday, Cocona came out as transmasculine and non-binary in a heartfelt Instagram post, a move almost unheard of in the tightly controlled traditional world of J-pop and idol music. “I want to share something that’s been in my heart for a long time,” they wrote. “I was born and perceived as female, but that label never represented who I truly am… The hardest thing I’ve ever faced was accepting and embracing myself.”
From the start, Cocona had the unwavering support of their bandmates. Jurin shot the artistic accompanying photos for the announcement, which included shots of Cocona’s top surgery scars, while Chisa did their makeup. XG’s global fanbase responded with an outpouring of love and acceptance, a reaction Cocona says they are still grateful for. “I was really, really grateful for that,” they say. “I hope through me saying what I did, that other people will feel a sense of hope or light or love. Thinking that way makes me feel like I can keep going and work even harder, so I feel very blessed.”
In the wake of Cocona’s announcement, the group redefined their own identity as well. Originally, the name XG stood for “Xtraordinary Girls”; now, it stands for “Xtraordinary Genes,” reflecting the group’s core message that “it’s okay to be yourself as you are,” Chisa explains. “Breaking fixed ideas and preconceptions is a big part of our concept,” Jurin agrees.
That ethos anchors the group’s new album, *The Core*, which sees the seven-piece expanding far beyond the throwback R&B sound of their early EPs to explore a more diverse sonic palette. Lead single *Gala* is built around a Vogue-inspired ballroom beat, while fan-favorite *Hypnotise* draws inspiration from the iconic chunky house piano of CeCe Peniston’s *Finally*. “When we first heard that iconic piano sound, we instantly thought, ‘This has to be our title track’,” Maya says. “It’s not just danceable, it has a kind of dark, mysterious feel, and it makes you picture the city at night.”
Another standout track, *O.R.B*, pairs wailing distorted guitars with a message of bro solidarity – a choice widely interpreted as a public declaration of support for Cocona. “We told our producer we wanted a band-style rock song,” recalls Chisa. “We never imagined the demo would make it onto the album, but when we listened to it together, it really reminded us of Avril Lavigne and we all felt, ‘This is exactly what we want to do’. It’s a track that expands our musical gravity, our musical universe.”
This September, British fans will get to experience that expanded universe firsthand when XG plays their first ever UK headline show at Wembley Arena, part of a year-long global tour. Juria says the concerts “will truly embody the album’s title. Our core will be right there on stage.”
Even as touring and rising fame ramp up the demands on their time, the group has no plans to loosen the umbilical bond that brought them this far. They prioritize intentional downtime together to stay grounded: “Having a clear on/off switch is really important,” says Hinata. “For me, spending downtime with the members really helps me stay balanced.” Hinata relaxes by watching anime, Jurin – a former professional snowboarder – hits the slopes whenever she can, and Harvey hides a secret talent for playing trombone, even carrying her mouthpiece with her on tour. “I haven’t played properly since I was in third grade of junior high, but I do carry around the mouthpiece with me… So I’d love to play trombone with the band one day, just to see if I can still do it,” she laughs. If their rise so far is any indication, that dream probably isn’t far off.
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Palestinians in Gaza say bank account closures cut off access to vital funds
Amid the already catastrophic destruction and daily bombardment of the ongoing war in Gaza, hundreds of Palestinian residents are facing a new, crippling crisis: arbitrary freezes and closures of their bank accounts at the Bank of Palestine, cutting off access to critical salaries, humanitarian aid, and personal savings that families depend on for survival.
Gaza’s financial infrastructure has been strained for years by political instability, and the war has compounded these pressures to create a chronic liquidity shortage and widespread degradation of physical banknotes. For most Gazans, digital banking services and mobile wallets have become the only reliable way to manage, send, and receive funds – making account restrictions an immediate and devastating threat to livelihoods.
Ahmed Sardah, a Gaza resident, shared his experience with Middle East Eye (MEE), explaining he first discovered his account had been shuttered when he attempted to complete a routine transfer via the bank’s mobile app. Shortly after, he found his digital wallets on PalPay and Jawwal Pay, two of the territory’s most popular digital payment platforms, had also been suspended. Assuming the issue was a technical glitch, Sardah contacted bank staff, who only told him the account had been “reserved by management” with no further explanation. No advance warning was provided before the closure, and Sardah denies violating any bank policies, including transfer limit rules.
“Unfortunately, we are living in a war of destruction and constant bombardment, and on top of that, we are being strangled,” Sardah told MEE. “My life has completely stopped; I can’t even pay the rent, and I have monthly obligations. How am I supposed to meet them?”
Another devastating case highlights how the policy has harmed families of those killed in the conflict. Taghreed al-Daya lost her husband, four daughters, and son in an Israeli air strike on their Gaza City al-Sabra apartment in July 2024. Her eldest daughter, Raghad Banat, had received her monthly salary in an active Bank of Palestine account – but the account was closed immediately after the family submitted Banat’s death certificate.
Al-Daya completed all required legal inheritance processes and obtained all official documentation to claim the funds, but bank officials told her she would need to travel to Ramallah in the West Bank to finalize the process. For Gazans trapped in the blockaded enclave amid ongoing conflict, crossing into the West Bank is effectively impossible, leaving al-Daya with no path to access the money her daughter left behind. “I’m in Gaza. How am I supposed to get to Ramallah? This is an impossible request,” she said.
The widespread nature of the account closures sparked public pushback in mid-February, when a group of Gaza-based lawyers held a public demonstration to protest what they called illegal, unjustified freezes of their personal and professional accounts. The Palestinian Bar Association in Gaza issued a formal condemnation of the practice, labeling it “dangerous and unjustified” and warning that it pushes already vulnerable families, grappling with the catastrophic humanitarian conditions created by the war, even closer to collapse.
The association confirmed it had received dozens of complaints from lawyers who had their accounts closed without any prior notice, noting that roughly 700 Gaza-based lawyers have been impacted as part of a broader sweep that has suspended nearly 2,000 accounts total. Affected account holders have been given inconsistent, vague justifications for the actions, ranging from requests to update customer personal information to unsubstantiated claims of “unfair use” of accounts, the association added.
Rami Abdo, director of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, argued the account closures are not isolated incidents, but a systematic practice tied to guidance from the Palestinian Monetary Authority and internal bank risk assessment protocols. He emphasized that the Bank of Palestine has worsened the harm by blocking account holders from appealing closure decisions, withdrawing remaining funds, or providing documentation to prove they have complied with all banking regulations. Abdo told MEE that closures happen on a rolling basis, often impacting hundreds of accounts in a single sweep. He also confirmed the pattern of closing accounts of Palestinians killed in the war immediately after death notifications are received, cutting off heirs from funds even after all legal inheritance requirements are met. “As soon as a martyr’s name is received, the bank checks if he has an account and closes it,” Abdo said.
In response to the allegations, an anonymous senior source at the Bank of Palestine dismissed claims that thousands of Gaza accounts have been frozen as “false and baseless.” The source maintained that all actions taken against customer accounts adhere to local laws, regulatory requirements, and official instructions from relevant governing bodies, and no measures are taken arbitrarily or outside of established legal frameworks.
“Since its establishment, the Bank of Palestine has been proud of its national and economic role in serving Palestinians wherever they reside, especially the residents of the Gaza Strip,” the source said. “The bank continues to play its vital role in providing banking and financial services, enabling citizens and institutions to manage their financial affairs despite the exceptional circumstances and significant challenges facing the Strip.”
The source added that the bank has continued to serve more than one million customers in Gaza throughout the war, despite unprecedented operational challenges. Responding specifically to claims about deceased account holders, the source noted that inheritance cases are processed in line with existing legal procedures and judicial rulings designed both to protect the rights of heirs and prevent unauthorized access to funds. These procedures, the source said, are applied uniformly across Gaza and the West Bank and are not connected to the current wartime context.
MEE attempted to request comment from the Palestinian Monetary Authority on the allegations, but had not received a response as of the publication of this report.
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The Super Bowl winner’s son stepping into spotlight with USA
Almost 30 years ago, in September 1996, NFL star Antonio Freeman delivered a career-defining performance in Seattle, scoring two touchdowns to lead the Green Bay Packers to a statement win over the Seattle Seahawks. Just months later, he claimed the ultimate prize in American football: a Super Bowl ring, cementing his name in Seattle sports history.
Now, three decades on, the Freeman name is back in Seattle headlines — but this time, it is for association football, the global game that has long lived in the shadow of the NFL in the United States. On Friday, 21-year-old defender Alex Freeman, Antonio’s son, scored his first ever World Cup goal to help the USA secure a comfortable 2-0 win over Australia, punching his nation’s ticket to the tournament’s round of 16 at the 2026 home World Cup.
For Alex, the moment felt like a poignant full-circle moment for his family. “It shows how great the family tree is,” he reflected after the match. “It shows he can be great but I can be great in my own way, and how amazing it is to have a dad that is successful and can mentor me to be ready for moments like these.” The elder Freeman has been front and center for his son’s World Cup run, spotted beaming with pride from the stands at every USA match, watching his son carve out his own sporting legacy.
But Alex’s path to the World Cup was never straightforward. Growing up in a country where American football dominates the cultural and athletic landscape, the young athlete hid his love of soccer early on, uncertain how his NFL star father would react to his choice of sport. It was his mother and stepfather who first encouraged him to pursue his passion, even stepping in as his first coach when he began playing. As a child, he split his time between both American football and soccer, but ultimately chose to follow his heart for the global game — a decision he says has paid off beyond his wildest dreams.
“It just shows how quick stuff can change and to not doubt yourself,” he said. “Now I’m here, it shows you can never give up. Keep pushing and you never know what chance you’re going to get and how you can go and make stuff happen. You don’t know when this chance will come again.”
Indeed, just four years ago, a World Cup appearance for Alex Freeman seemed like an impossible fantasy. At the 2022 Qatar World Cup, he was still playing reserve soccer for Major League Soccer’s Orlando City, and as recently as 18 months ago, he was barely considered a prospect for the senior US national team. That all changed when iconic manager Mauricio Pochettino took over as USMNT head coach in 2024, a turning point that reshaped Alex’s career.
Pochettino, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager, set out to build a youthful, dynamic squad for the 2026 home World Cup, and he quickly identified Alex as a core talent. The defender earned his first senior international call-up last year, and his rise since has been nothing short of meteoric. He was a key starter for the US at last year’s Gold Cup, and now he is one of the first names on Pochettino’s teamsheet at the World Cup.
Pochettino was quick to praise Alex’s work ethic and potential, crediting both the player and his MLS club for his rapid development. “If you don’t have the support of the coaches at Orlando and you can’t build that relationship and trust, it is difficult based on just some clips,” the manager said. “This is one example of how the people deserve the credit and of course so does the player. He has an amazing profile, he wants to learn, he always listens. He is a player you really enjoy being with, not just coaching but is a lovely guy also. He has the potential to be one of the best players in his position in the world.”
Off the pitch, Alex has also won over a new generation of soccer fans across social media, after a TikTok post from his stepsister Diamond Spaulding went viral ahead of the USA’s opening group stage match against Paraguay. Ahead of the game, as Spaulding traveled to a fan festival in Houston, she responded to a viral post from a user who was unaware the World Cup was even starting by writing: “My lil brother playing for the US so cheer for #16.”
After Alex notched an assist in the USA’s 4-1 opening win over Paraguay, the post blew up, and fans quickly adopted the affectionate nickname “Diamond’s Little Brother” for the young defender. After his goal against Australia, the nickname went viral again, with many fans updating it to “America’s Little Brother” as he cemented his status as a breakout star of the tournament.
For a player who once questioned whether he could ever build a sustainable career in soccer in the US, the moment is more than just a personal victory. Alex is not only forging his own path separate from his father’s NFL legacy, but also helping draw a wave of new fans to the sport in a country where American football has long reigned supreme. Standing on the pitch in Seattle after securing his nation’s knockout stage spot, Alex said the moment still feels like a dream come true.
“It shows how I have made it in my way,” he said. “I’ve worked my whole life to be able to get to this moment, to sing the national anthem in front of a home crowd. It just makes me so happy.”
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‘All of Lebanon must burn,’ Israeli minister Ben Gvir declares
A wave of fierce international condemnation has been triggered by inflammatory remarks from top far-right members of Israel’s cabinet, who openly called for widespread destruction across Lebanon just as a fragile ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah was set to take hold.
The controversy erupted Friday following the deadly deaths of four Israeli soldiers — including a senior battalion commander — in clashes along the southern Lebanon border. In a public post on the social platform X, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir declared that all of Lebanon must be set ablaze in retaliation. “For every tear shed by an Israeli mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers should cry,” Ben Gvir wrote. He doubled down on his aggressive stance, saying that Israel must reject the restrained, incremental military approach advocated by global powers, including the United States. “Enough with the back-and-forth ping-pong,” he stated. “In the Middle East, you do not win with measured responses and containment — you have to go all out. Erase the threat. Defeat terrorism entirely.” Ben Gvir also confirmed he has repeatedly pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to abandon the government’s current cautious military strategy in the border region.
Ben Gvir’s extreme rhetoric was quickly echoed by his far-right cabinet colleague, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who published his own social media statement the same day calling on Israel to “open the gates of hell” against Lebanon. Multiple senior Israeli officials have also publicly confirmed that Israeli troops will maintain an indefinite presence in southern Lebanon, despite ongoing international ceasefire negotiations.
Iran’s top diplomat issued an immediate and scathing rebuke of the remarks, framing them as official state policy that exposes the true nature of Israel’s leadership. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that the comments are not the unhinged rant of an isolated extremist, but a public declaration from a sitting cabinet minister of the Israeli regime. Araghchi characterized Israeli leadership as “a genocidal death cult headquartered in Tel Aviv” and “a threat to all of humanity,” adding that the regime’s only core interest is permanent, unending war across the region.
The explosive social media exchange unfolded mere hours before a newly brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was scheduled to go into effect, a deal that aimed to de-escalate some of the deadliest violence the border region has seen since the broader regional conflict began. Even before the verbal escalation, violence had continued uninterrupted: a ceasefire memorandum signed Thursday that was meant to halt hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon, failed to stop exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah overnight. By Friday morning, Lebanese health authorities confirmed that 47 people had been killed in Israeli airstrikes since midnight.
According to on-ground reporting from Al Jazeera, Israel carried out no fewer than 12 separate airstrikes across southern Lebanon in the hours after the ceasefire was first announced. This escalating military activity and expanding Israeli troop presence in southern Lebanon has emerged as a major stumbling block for ongoing indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States, talks that are being mediated by Qatar and Pakistan.
The tensions along the Lebanon frontier have also created a rare public rift between the U.S. administration and the Israeli government. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly criticized the rising civilian death toll in Israeli strikes on Lebanon — strikes that Israel claims only target Hezbollah infrastructure. Trump has warned that unrelenting Israeli attacks threaten to derail the finalized ceasefire agreement, a deal he acknowledged has been “not easy” to negotiate. Throughout months of ceasefire mediation, Israel has repeatedly rejected calls from the U.S. and other G7 member states to withdraw all troops from southern Lebanon.
For its part, Hezbollah has continued to pressure the Lebanese government to refuse any direct bilateral negotiations with Israel as long as Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory continue. Despite this, Lebanon’s national government has expressed open optimism that the U.S.-Iran brokered agreement can finally bring an end to the devastating hostilities that have ravaged the country’s southern regions.
According to the latest official data from Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, Israeli attacks across the country since March 2 have killed at least 3,696 people and left another 11,413 people injured.
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World Cup what to know: Netherlands, Sweden face off as group stage reaches halfway point
The 2025 expanded 48-team men’s FIFA World Cup, the first iteration of the tournament’s new supersized format, is poised to hit the midpoint of its group stage this weekend. By the close of Saturday, 36 of the total 72 group stage contests will have been completed, with another 36 matches remaining before the 32-team knockout round kicks off on June 28. The tournament will crown its first expanded-format champion on July 19.
Four high-profile matches highlight Saturday’s packed fixture list, each carrying massive implications for knockout round qualification across multiple groups. The day’s action opens at 1 p.m. EDT in Houston, where world No. 8 Netherlands faces a do-or-die Group F clash with Sweden, followed by a Group E top-of-the-table battle between Germany and Ivory Coast at 4 p.m. EDT in Toronto. The evening session kicks off at 8 p.m. EDT in Kansas City, Missouri, with Ecuador taking on underdog Curaçao, before the day closes with Tunisia versus Japan at midnight EDT in Monterrey, Mexico. All matches will be broadcast across Fox Sports networks, Telemundo, and Peacock.
The three co-host nations of the 2025 World Cup have entered the second round of group stage play riding high after strong opening results. On Friday, the United States secured a second consecutive 2-0 victory over Australia, booking an early spot in the knockout round. The U.S. will claim the Group B top seed if Paraguay and Turkey play to a draw, or Paraguay claims a win in their late Friday fixture. Host Canada sits in an excellent qualifying position after a dominant 6-0 rout of debutante Qatar on Thursday, while Mexico has already sealed the Group A title following a 1-0 win over South Korea.
One of Saturday’s most anticipated matchups pits a pressure-plagued Dutch side against a confident Sweden team in Group F. Long labeled the most talented men’s soccer nation never to lift the World Cup trophy, Netherlands enters the contest on the back of a disappointing 2-2 draw with Japan, where it squandered two separate match leads. Dutch head coach Ronald Koeman faced intense scrutiny over his tactical choices after the opening game, giving only cryptic, defensive replies to reporters’ questions. In contrast, 34th-ranked Sweden turned heads with a dominant 5-1 opening win over Tunisia, marking a triumphant return to the World Cup after failing to qualify for the 2022 tournament. “We know we are a work in progress and we’re improving,” Sweden manager Graham Potter said Friday. “We have to play better against a better opponent and I think we’re ready to do that.”
In Group E, four-time World Cup champions Germany look to build on their blistering 7-1 opening win over Curaçao as they face a far stiffer test in Ivory Coast, which also notched a three points from its opening fixture with a late 1-0 win over Ecuador. The Elephants received a major boost earlier this week when star striker Elye Wahi, who was under investigation for alleged betting-related offenses, was cleared to enter Canada for the tournament. “He hasn’t really shown any signs of being annoyed or being discouraged,” Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Fae said of Wahi. “He’s happy. He had a good trip over here. He’s going to do everything he can to help out the team.”
For Ecuador, Saturday’s matchup with Curaçao is nothing short of a must-win. La Tricolor carried a 19-match unbeaten streak into the tournament, but saw that run snapped by a 90th-minute Amad Diallo winner for Ivory Coast in their opener. With a final group stage matchup against powerhouse Germany awaiting next week, three points against Curaçao are critical to keep their knockout round hopes alive. “What follows,” Ecuador manager Sebastián Beccacece said, “must be faced with the same way we have faced it so far: with great strength, with great integrity, with great intensity and with a clear idea of the game.” For Curaçao, the tournament has already been a fairytale: the smallest nation by both land area and population ever to qualify for the World Cup, the side’s opening 7-1 loss to Germany brought the feel-good underdog story back to reality. Rounding out Saturday’s fixtures, Japan looks to carry the momentum of its opening comeback draw with Netherlands into a matchup with a reshuffled Tunisia side. Tunisia parted ways with manager Sabri Lamouchi following its 5-1 opening loss to Sweden, appointing veteran French coach Hervé Renard – a two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner with Zambia and Ivory Coast, renowned for his success leading African and Arab national sides.
Off the pitch, the tournament has continued to generate breaking news around the competing squads. Canadian star Ismaël Koné underwent surgery for two broken leg bones sustained in the Qatar win, while Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel has emerged as a breakout star after recording two consecutive shutouts to open the tournament. Young Spanish phenom Lamine Yamal confirmed he is not fully fit and is unlikely to start his side’s second group stage match, while 21-year-old Alex Freeman, son of former NFL standout Antonio Freeman, notched a goal for the U.S. in their opening round win to earn viral acclaim. One statistical note headlined Saturday’s tournament roundup: the U.S. became the first team in World Cup history to benefit from opposing own goals in consecutive matches, and marks the first time the Americans have opened a World Cup with two straight wins since the inaugural 1930 tournament.
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US-Iran talks delayed as Israeli bombs in Lebanon kill 18 or more
A fresh wave of Israeli military bombardment across southern Lebanon has thrown a critical new set of Iran-US peace negotiations into disarray, forcing both delegations to delay their planned departure for opening talks in Switzerland. The violence, which left at least 18 Lebanese civilians dead, comes just weeks after the Trump administration and Iranian leadership signed a preliminary memorandum of understanding (MOU) to outline a path toward ending the ongoing Iran war, which began when the U.S. and Israel launched joint military operations in late February.
The incident also sparked open friction between senior U.S. officials and Israeli leadership. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who was originally set to join the American delegation to Switzerland, publicly criticized Israeli leaders for a pattern of launching large-scale bombing attacks during key moments of diplomatic progress. Vance’s remarks echoed a similar disruption that unfolded just last weekend: shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to sign the MOU, Israeli forces carried out a deadly strike on central Beirut.
“We seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough in the agreement, and then all of a sudden, there’s a major explosion that goes off in a civilian population center in Beirut, and a lot of people who have nothing to do with Hezbollah lose their lives,” Vance told reporters on Thursday. “That’s not acceptable.”
Friday’s bombardment targeted heavily populated residential areas across southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh district, according to on-the-ground reporting from Roqayah Chamseddine, a writer based in the region. Chamseddine documented mass civilian casualties in the towns of Dweir Harouf, Al-Sharqiya, and Kfar Sir, with additional strikes hitting Kfar Roumman, Haboush, Jebchit, Toul, and Deir al-Zahrani. Many of the residents in these areas had only just begun returning to their homes after previous ceasefire efforts, before the new offensive expanded into the Western Bekaa Valley, with warplanes targeting Abu Rashed Heights and launching strikes along the Litani River valley near Zalaya.
Hours after the initial Israeli strikes, Hezbollah carried out an anti-tank attack that killed four Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon, according to official statements from the Israel Defense Forces. The attack triggered harsh rhetoric from Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called for widespread retaliation. “All of Lebanon must burn,” Ben-Gvir declared, adding, “With all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not forfeited.”
Officially, the Trump White House only cited unspecified logistical challenges to explain the delay of the U.S. delegation’s departure, making no public mention of the Lebanese bombardment. But Lebanese outlet Al Mayadeen, citing an anonymous Iranian government source, confirmed that the latest Israeli assault was the direct cause of Tehran’s decision to postpone its delegation’s trip.
The 60-day opening round of technical talks was meant to work out detailed implementation of the MOU, which calls for “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.” Iranian leadership has repeatedly made clear that a full end to Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory is a non-negotiable precondition for advancing a final peace deal. Mediators have now shifted focus to rescheduling the talks, as escalating violence in Lebanon threatens to erase what little diplomatic momentum had been built to end the months-long conflict.
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James Burrows, legendary director of sitcoms, dies aged 85 – US media
The entertainment world is mourning the loss of one of television comedy’s most transformative figures: James Burrows, the visionary director and co-creator whose work shaped some of the most iconic American sitcoms of all time, has passed away at the age of 85. Multiple U.S. media outlets confirmed the news, with his attorney Tom Hoberman sharing the announcement of Burrows’ death “with great sadness” to CBS News, a domestic partner of the BBC.
Burrows’ 50-plus year career in television left an indelible mark on the comedy genre. He is most widely celebrated as the co-creator of the hit NBC sitcom *Cheers*, the beloved Boston bar-set comedy that remains a cultural touchstone decades after its original run. Beyond his work on *Cheers*, Burrows amassed an unprecedented professional resume, directing more than 1,000 episodes of dozens of television classics that defined generations of comedy viewing. These credits include legendary series such as *Friends*, *The Big Bang Theory*, and *Will & Grace*, with each production benefiting from his sharp eye for comedic timing and character-driven storytelling.
A trailblazer in the industry, Burrows’ contributions earned him some of the highest honors in television. He took home 11 Emmy Awards over the course of his career, in addition to five Directors Guild of America Awards, recognizing his consistent excellence and innovation behind the camera.
In an official statement shared with the U.S. celebrity outlet *People*, Burrows’ family opened up about his life and legacy: “We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James ‘Jimmy’ Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family. For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history. As a legendary director, mentor, and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.”
Tributes from across the entertainment industry are expected to pour in in the coming days, as colleagues, protégés, and fans honor the career of a man who redefined what television comedy could be.
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Zelensky stripped of highest Polish honour over WW2 name of army unit
A bitter diplomatic dispute has erupted between Poland and Ukraine, two long-time aligned partners in Kyiv’s defense against Russian full-scale invasion, after Poland stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest civilian and military state honor. The revocation comes in response to Kyiv’s late-May decision to name a new Ukrainian military unit after the World War II-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a move that has reignited decades of tension over conflicting historical memories of the group.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki publicly condemned Ukraine’s naming decision in an official video address posted to his presidency’s website, calling the choice “outrageous, incomprehensible and deeply disappointing.” For Poland and the overwhelming majority of its population, the UPA is inextricably linked to the 1943-1945 Volhynia massacres, where Warsaw documents that roughly 100,000 ethnic Polish civilians were killed in atrocities the country classifies as genocide. Nawrocki emphasized that the Ukrainian government’s choice to glorify the UPA wounds Polish collective historical memory and erodes years of carefully built mutual trust between the two nations.
Despite the sharp rebuke and honor revocation, Nawrocki was quick to clarify that the diplomatic dispute would not alter Poland’s unwavering support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion. He reminded the public that Poland has stood with Kyiv since day one of the 2022 full-scale invasion, opening its borders, homes, and communities to more than a million Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war. Nawrocki also tied the dispute to Ukraine’s ongoing European Union accession process, noting that a path to EU membership requires all candidate states to honestly confront and address dark, divisive chapters of their shared history. “A united Europe was built on the rejection of totalitarianism and the cult of violence,” he said. “These principles must apply to everyone. For those who do not understand this, there can be no place in the European Union, and Poland will certainly not allow it.” Ukraine is currently advancing its accession bid, holding the first round of membership negotiations in Luxembourg just this week.
Ukrainian officials have pushed back hard against Warsaw’s decision, denouncing the revocation as a politically motivated move that only serves Moscow’s interests. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the revocation a “strategic mistake” and an act of “disrespect” toward Ukraine. In a reciprocal move, Sybiha announced he would return a state honor he received from Poland in 2022, stressing that no foreign leader has the right to dictate how Ukraine remembers its own history. For many Ukrainians, the UPA is a revered symbol of national independence: the 1940s-1950s insurgent group fought against multiple occupying forces, including Nazi Germany, the Soviet Red Army, and pre-war Polish authorities, making the group a core part of modern Ukrainian national identity. That legacy remains visible today, with the UPA’s signature red-and-black flag carried regularly by frontline Ukrainian troops fighting Russian forces; Zelensky justified the unit naming as an effort to “restore the historical traditions of the national army.”
The dispute has already drawn intervention from senior Polish leadership seeking to de-escalate tensions. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a former European Council president, took to social media Friday to urge both sides to lower tensions, noting that the feud only delights Russian President Vladimir Putin and advances Moscow’s goals to divide European support for Ukraine. Tusk called on both Zelensky and Nawrocki to “calm emotions, not to stoke tensions.” As of now, Zelensky has not issued a direct public response to the honor revocation. The Order of the White Eagle was originally awarded to Zelensky in 2023 by then-Polish President Andrzej Duda, at a time when bilateral relations between the two neighbors were largely unified in opposing Russian aggression.
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Migrants deported by US to Sierra Leone risk return to countries where they fear persecution
A controversial U.S. immigration policy that sends asylum seekers to third-party African nations is facing fresh scrutiny after a new group of deportees arrived in Sierra Leone this week, with legal advocates warning the practice directly undermines existing court-ordered protections and puts vulnerable migrants at grave risk of persecution.
Erica Reilly, an attorney representing one of the migrants who arrived Thursday, confirmed to the Associated Press that the flight marked the second such deportation to Sierra Leone in as many months. Last month, nine West African asylum seekers landed in the country under the same policy, and approximately 12 more joined them this week.
Sierra Leone is just one of at least nine African nations that have struck formal third-country deportation agreements with the U.S., alongside a number of Latin American and Caribbean states that have reached similar arrangements. Under the terms of Sierra Leone’s agreement, which is backed by a $1.5 million U.S. government grant, the West African nation only accepts citizens of other West African countries, serving strictly as a temporary transit point rather than a place of permanent resettlement. A monthly cap of 25 deportees and an annual limit of 300 have been placed on the program, though Sierra Leonean authorities have not disclosed how long the agreement will remain in effect.
Upon arrival in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, deportees receive a briefing pamphlet from Kenvah Solutions, a private contractor hired by the Sierra Leonean government to manage deportees’ accommodations, food, healthcare, and transfers to their home countries. The document explicitly labels Sierra Leone a “temporary transit location” and confirms that “no long-term settlement is provided for or permitted,” adding that local authorities and contractors are working to “return you home as quickly and safely as possible.” Neither Kenvah Solutions nor Sierra Leonean government officials responded to requests for comment from the AP.
Immigration advocates and legal representatives say the policy is a deliberate legacy of the Trump administration’s broad crackdown on irregular migration, which relies on often-unpublicized third-country deportation agreements to create a legal loophole. U.S. courts have issued formal orders barring the deportation of many of these asylum seekers directly back to their home countries, where judges have confirmed they face credible threats of persecution. By routing them through third-party nations like Sierra Leone, the U.S. effectively bypasses these protections.
Reilly, who is representing a Nigerian asylum seeker among the most recent group of deportees, explained that once migrants arrive in Sierra Leone, they have almost no power to block their forced transfer to the countries where they face danger. “They’re put in a position where they just don’t have a say at all,” Reilly said. She added that U.S. authorities are fully aware of the risk facing most deportees sent through this program, choosing instead to disavow responsibility for their fates once they leave U.S. soil. “Our government is just saying, ‘What happens to them after they leave the United States is not our problem,’” she said.
This is not the first challenge to the controversial policy. Earlier this month, human rights lawyers filed a legal case against Equatorial Guinea with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Africa’s top regional human rights body, accusing the central African nation of violating international human rights law by forcing U.S.-deported asylum seekers back to their unsafe home countries.