Lebanese remain sceptical despite US-Iran ceasefire announcement
NewsFeed The US-Iran ceasefire announcement has raised hopes in Lebanon, after Pakistani mediators claimed it included an end to Israel’s war on the country. But as Al Jazeera’s Heidi Pett explains, we’ve been here before. Published On 15 Jun 202615 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
In fresh jolt to Mamata, TMC rebel MPs to merge with Nationalist Citizens’ Party of India
The announcement was made by MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar after she and other rebel leaders met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Dastidar said the rebel faction will sit separately from the TMC in the parliament and work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress turns Rahul Gandhi’s 56th birthday into a mega job fair: Know how to register
Over 100 companies are expected to participate in the ‘Mega Job Fair’ at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi, to mark the 56th birthday of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
PM Modi departs France’s Nice for historic visit to Slovakia
This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian prime minister to Slovakia since the country gained independence in 1993.
Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi over Indian sailor’s death in Oman: ‘Citizens left to rot’
Gandhi on Sunday called for bringing back the mortal remains of Nishanth Uirthanathan, who died on board MT Celestial due to medical complications on June 11.
Trump announces peace deal with Iran, declares Strait of Hormuz will reopen: ‘Let the oil flow!’
President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the United States and Iran have officially reached a peace agreement, marking a major diplomatic breakthrough that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. “The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has served as a mediator, was the first to announce the peace deal, saying a signing ceremony is scheduled to take place Friday in Switzerland. TRUMP SAYS HE’S CANCELED IRAN STRIKES, ADDS POTENTIAL DEAL-SIGNING ‘TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY’ Trump added that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen once the parties formally sign the agreement. “With the opening of the Strait upon the signing of the Deal on Friday, for purposes of mine removal, oil will flow on both ends again for the Region, and the World!” he said. IRAN REVEALS 10-POINT PLAN FOR PEACE WITH THE US – HERE’S WHAT’S IN IT According to Sharif, the deal includes the termination of military operations across the region, including in Lebanon, where Iran-backed terrorist proxy Hezbollah has been engaged in conflict with Israel. “Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” he said. Additional details of the agreement, including any provisions related to Iran’s nuclear program, were not immediately released. Iran’s deputy foreign minister said talks with the United States on a final and more comprehensive agreement will take place during a 60-day ceasefire period, according to Reuters. The outlet reported that the future of Iran’s nuclear program will be addressed in upcoming negotiations. Trump has long maintained that Iran cannot be in possession of a nuclear weapon and has repeatedly vowed to prevent Tehran from developing, acquiring or obtaining one. Trump further praised his administration for securing the agreement. “This Great Deal will bring Peace and Security to the whole Region,” he said. “Many presidents have tried to make Peace with Iran, and all have failed before me. The Leaders of the Region have, for the first time, found a President who can help them achieve real Peace.” Sharif also thanked the United States and Iran for their “commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict,” as well as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey for their contributions to the mediation effort. With the agreement now in place, mediators are expected to facilitate a series of meetings this week that could lay the groundwork for technical negotiations and the official signing ceremony, Sharif said. The peace deal would formally end the high-stakes conflict that began on Feb. 28, which disrupted roughly 20% of global oil shipments that pass through the Strait of Hormuz and contributed to higher energy prices worldwide. It comes roughly one year after Israel initiated massive strikes on Iran during Operation Rising Lion. The strikes sparked a 12-day conflict between the nations before Trump ordered strikes on a trio of nuclear facilities later that same month. Fox News’ Ashley J. DiMella and Reuters contributed to this report.
Congressional baseball game offers longstanding traditions, and plenty of confusion
There were two 1s. Three 3s. Three 4s. One 04. Three 6s. Two 06s. Two 7s. Two 07s. 2 9s. And three 12s. No. I wasn’t trying to decipher computer programming code. This wasn’t a routing number for a checking account. Nor was I communicating in hexadecimals. I was staring at these numbers to unravel the GOP’s uniform numbers for the annual Congressional baseball game at Nats Park. REPUBLICANS DESTROY DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME AGAIN, WINNING FOR 5TH STRAIGHT YEAR Congressional Republicans and Democrats play each other in the event. It’s a custom dating back to 1909. No other athletic team in any sport on the planet allows players on the same team to wear the same numbers. But since this is Congress, lawmakers get to choose whatever uniform number they want. On the Republican team, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN) both wear number one. Reps. Chuck Flesichmann (R-TN), Greg Murphy (R-NC) and Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) don number three. You get the idea. Old-time ballpark vendors used to hawk their wares by shouting, “You can’t tell the players without a scorecard.” With all of these numbers, a scorecard won’t do. You need an abacus. The Democrats aren’t much better with their uniform algebra. Four Democrats utilized the same uniform digits. There were two 3s. Two 11s. Two 15s. And two 25s. For instance, Reps. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., sported number three. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Frank Mrvan, D-Ind., requested number 11. The game is a charity event, raising more than $3.2 million and coaxing 32,000 fans to the ballpark. So who wears what number really shouldn’t matter much. SCHMITT GOES IN-DEPTH ON DIVING CATCH & CHANGES TO COLLEGE ATHLETICS ON ‘RUTHLESS’ Unless you’re broadcasting the game on national television. That’s where I come in. I’ve had the privilege of announcing the game for Fox Sports for five years now, live on FS1. I handle the color commentary. My Fox News colleague and former ESPN hand Kevin Corke does play-by-play. Fox Sports sends the same production crew which handles playoff games and the World Series to cover this. Led by Fox producer extraordinaire Aaron Stojkov, the same group of folks just worked Fox’s national broadcast of the Cardinals/Cubs game a few weeks ago in St. Louis. They handled the Phillies/Brewers game in Milwaukee Saturday night. Congress is my thing. But baseball even more so. I was at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati in 1985 the night Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record. I know that Atlanta Braves pitcher Tom House caught Hank Aaron’s 715th career home run in the bullpen, breaking Babe Ruth’s mark. I can talk about Ralph Branca on the mound for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Branca yielded “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World” to Bobby Thomson, propelling the New York Giants into the 1951 World Series. I’ll then regale you with the little known fact that Thomson is from Glasgow, Scotland. Not Staten Island. I can even give you a dissertation explaining the infield fly rule. But the annual ritual of decrypting the Congressional baseball game is the most challenging thing I do professionally each year. The exercise involving the national pastime is a fabulous yet tough assignment. I’ve often wondered if calling an actual Major League game would be easier than announcing the tilt between the Democrats and Republicans. For MLB, I follow the teams. I study box scores. I can tell who is on a winning streak. Who can’t hit a slider. PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR: HOUSE REPUBLICANS’ SMALL MAJORITY COULD MAKE ATTENDANCE A PRIORITY This is not to say that announcing a Big League game is easy. But there’s more information. It’s baseball as I know it. Pete Rose said that the easiest place to hit was the Big Leagues. The pitching was better. The umpiring was better. The lighting was better. Rose’s point is that most MLB hurlers have command. But down in the minors, some of the pitchers make Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn from the movie Major League look like Greg Maddux. Umpires in The Show work a consistent strike zone. But in the Pioneer League, an actual pioneer may have a better concept of what’s a ball or strike. Down in the South Atlantic League, you might struggle to even see the ball because the stadium is practically illuminated by foot candles. But the lighting at Major League Stadiums is better than a Taylor Swift concert. So that’s the challenge. There’s a chasm between MLB and the Congressional baseball game. You have to figure out what to say about each player – who have limited stat lines. I know more about their voting records than batting averages. So, like any reporter, I dig around to prepare what to say during the game. It was just before 7a.m. ET a few weeks ago. My phone buzzed with a text from Republican Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt. He was at the pre-dawn practice. Schmitt has the highest OPS (on base percentage, plus slugging percentage) in Congressional baseball history. He’s a mega St. Louis Cardinals fan. But despite his prowess at the plate, Schmitt made one of the most stellar plays in Congressional baseball history in the game Wednesday night. LEARNING CURVE: THE NEW PLAYERS IN CONGRESS Rep. Johnny Oleszewski, D-Md., looped a long flyball down the left field line. Approaching foul ground and the warning track, Schmitt laid himself out, with a diving, circus catch in the heel of his glove. Schmitt popped back up, blood streaming from his face after crashing into the warning track. “I’m not as sore as I thought I would be,” said Schmitt the next day, noting he scraped up his forearms. That play goes into the baseball lore for next year’s broadcast. Schmitt wasn’t the only Gold Glover this year. Reps. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., also made spectacular catches in short left field. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, is the GOP manager. But he toiled as
Sen Mitch McConnell hospitalized, ‘receiving excellent care,’ his office says
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was hospitalized for an undisclosed health issue, according to his office. “Sen. McConnell was admitted to the hospital this morning,” McConnell’s Communications Director David Popp told Fox News. “He is receiving excellent care.” McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history, was previously hospitalized for eight days earlier this year after experiencing “flu-like symptoms.” SEN. MCCONNELL REPORTEDLY FINE AFTER FALLING DURING GOP LUNCH The 84-year-old senator announced last February that he would not seek reelection and would retire when his current term ends in January 2027. McConnell has dealt with a series of health episodes in recent years, including injuries from falls and multiple instances in which he briefly froze while speaking publicly. Only Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, at 92 and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., at 84, are older than McConnell in Congress. This is a breaking news report. Check back for more updates.
Republican leaders embrace viral World Cup fans they say are discovering the ‘real America’
As foreign soccer fans descend on the United States ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, some visitors are going viral for documenting their enthusiasm for distinctly American experiences — from Waffle House and Buc-ee’s to college football and Southern hospitality. While political battles over immigration and travel policy continue to dominate discussion ahead of the World Cup, foreign fans are going viral for celebrating a very different side of America. Videos celebrating iconic restaurants, sprawling highways, local traditions and everyday hospitality have racked up millions of views online and drawn reactions from political leaders who say they highlight America’s enduring appeal. The upbeat posts have not gone unnoticed in Washington. INTERNET FALLS IN LOVE WITH GERMAN SOCCER FAN DISCOVERING AMERICAN SOUTH AHEAD OF 2026 WORLD CUP Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was among the officials to weigh in, sharing one of several viral posts from German soccer fan FreddyLA7, whose enthusiastic dispatches from across the United States have become a social media sensation ahead of the World Cup. In a post on X, Duffy pointed to Freddy’s journey through Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama as an example of the uniquely American experiences drawing attention online. “There’s no better way to see our country than on a road trip,” Duffy wrote. “Because to LOVE AMERICA you have to SEE AMERICA.” WORLD CUP FANS FALL IN LOVE WITH AMERICAN CULTURE, COMFORT FOOD CLASSICS He concluded the post by asking followers to suggest additional destinations for the German fan to visit as he continues his travels across the United States. Freddy’s posts have attracted millions of views for their enthusiastic portrayal of everyday American life, with the German fan praising everything from Waffle House and Taco Bell to Buc-ee’s and Bass Pro Shops as he travels the country following the German national team. After Freddy made stops across Alabama, Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., joined the conversation on X, highlighting the state’s role in the German fan’s increasingly viral American road trip. After Freddy marveled at the atmosphere inside Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey invited him back for football season, writing: “Y’all ought to come back in the fall to see just how we do Saturdays in Alabama.” DeSantis similarly welcomed Freddy to Florida after the soccer fan posted footage from the Gulf Coast. The governor playfully corrected Freddy’s description of the water as “the sea” before encouraging him to enjoy what he called some of the best beaches in the world. As the United States prepares to welcome millions of visitors for the World Cup next year, Freddy’s viral road trip has offered an early preview of the tournament’s potential to showcase American culture far beyond the soccer pitch.
Gabbard says declassified biolab records validate concerns previously dismissed as misinformation
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released a trove of declassified records detailing U.S. funding of more than 120 biological laboratories across more than 30 countries, arguing the documents validate concerns that were previously dismissed as misinformation. The release comes years after Gabbard drew criticism for raising concerns about U.S.-funded biolabs in Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 invasion. Critics accused her of echoing Russian narratives, while supporters argued legitimate questions about the labs’ activities and oversight were being unfairly dismissed. The newly released records include ODNI briefing slides detailing the scope of U.S. involvement in Ukraine’s laboratory network. DNI TULSI GABBARD PROBES U.S. FUNDING TO MORE THAN 120 BIOLABS AROUND THE WORLD One document states that more than 40 laboratories in Ukraine received U.S. funding and housed collections of dangerous bacteria and viruses, some dating back to the Soviet era. The records also show Ukrainian scientists received U.S.-funded training to work with hazardous pathogens and participated in a program focused on handling especially dangerous diseases. The documents list pathogens studied or stored within the laboratory network, including anthrax, tuberculosis, plague, Ebola virus, Marburg virus, MERS and SARS. Additional records detail U.S.-funded construction and upgrades at laboratories across Ukraine, including facilities in Kherson, Odesa and western Ukraine. The documents identify engineering firm Black & Veatch as a major contractor and show U.S. taxpayers spent between roughly $1.7 million and $3.5 million on individual laboratory projects. LAWMAKERS DEMAND ANSWERS AFTER SUSPECTED BIOLAB DISCOVERED IN CHINESE NATIONAL’S LAS VEGAS HOME One declassified assessment focuses on a veterinary research laboratory in Kharkiv that received Pentagon funding through the Defense Department’s Biological Threat Reduction Program. According to the assessment, the facility housed hundreds of samples of dangerous pathogens, including Brucella bacteria, which can cause a disease known as brucellosis. The document warned the lab could become a target of Russian propaganda efforts or be damaged, captured or otherwise compromised during the war. Another ODNI slide outlines what it describes as a “web of connections” linking Ukrainian laboratories with U.S. government agencies, universities, research organizations and private contractors. The document says U.S. funding supported research on bird flu and other highly infectious viruses in high-security laboratories. Gabbard said the documents demonstrate that the public was not given a full picture of U.S.-backed biological research programs overseas. Critics, however, maintain the facilities were part of long-running public health and threat-reduction efforts designed to secure dangerous pathogens and prevent biological proliferation rather than operate as biological weapons programs. The declassification is likely to reignite debate over government transparency, gain-of-function research and the scope of U.S.-funded biological research overseas.