Uncertain World Cup for Paraguay’s Almiron, sent off for covering his mouth
By Reuters Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026 It was unclear what Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron said to Turkiye’s Mert Muldur under the cover of his hand, but it may have been his last gesture in this World Cup. On Friday, Almiron became the first player to be sent off at the World Cup for violating a strict new rule that forbids the covering of mouths during on-field confrontations, leaving Paraguay with 10 men to fend off an entire half of unrelenting Turkish attacks. The FIFA-proposed law, approved by the International Football Association Board in April, came after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was accused of making discriminatory slurs to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr under the cover of his shirt during a Champions League game that the referee halted, invoking UEFA’s anti-discrimination protocol. Prestianni, who denied the accusation, was given a six-match suspension by UEFA for discriminatory conduct that was deemed homophobic. In an ill-tempered match fraught with heated exchanges, Almiron’s red card before half-time was eclipsed by Paraguay’s stunning 1-0 victory in the San Francisco Bay Area, which kept their faltering World Cup alive and condemned Turkiye to a miserable early exit. The dismissal for the former Newcastle United player means he will miss Paraguay’s decisive final Group D match against Australia on June 22. Almiron made a post on Instagram of his team celebrating their 1-0 win, but made no mention of his dismissal. “I want to thank the effort of my teammates today, giving everything in each ball, thank you, thank you, thank you, I’m proud to be part of this squad,” he posted alongside an image of ecstatic Paraguay players piling on top of each other at the final whistle. Advertisement “I know Miggy personally, so I think it’s more habit with Miggy,” said England defender Dan Burn, who played with Almiron at Newcastle. “I’ve seen him do that a lot over the years in games, and I do think it’s one of those things where … it’s going to take a little while for some players to get used to that. “The refs spoke about it at the [pre-World Cup] referees meeting, so everyone knew the rules, so it wasn’t a massive surprise, but it is obviously something that’s quite hard to get out of the habit of doing.” Miguel Almiron argues with referee Ivan Barton along with teammate Juan Jose Caceres [Darren Yamashita/Reuters] ‘Slaves to the rulebook’ Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro, who hailed the fighting spirit of his players, said he accepted the rules had been applied. “The first thing I told him when he came into the dressing room was, ‘Change that face, we won, don’t feel guilty about anything. What happened brought out even more of your teammates’ fighting spirit,’” he said. Alfaro has been on a mission to shield his players from the heavy criticism endured after their opening game 4-1 trouncing by cohosts the United States, who are now group winners. “He was in a lot of pain because he felt that, for a player of his experience, those things can’t happen,” he said of Almiron. “But it happened. That’s it. We’re here to support him, to carry him, to push him.” The new measure does have exceptions, however, such as allowing players to cover their mouths during friendly conversations with club teammates on opposing teams. The rule was among several introduced ahead of the showpiece event, including five-second countdowns on throw-ins and goal kicks, time limits for substituted players to exit the field, and players made to stay on the sidelines for one minute after receiving on-field medical treatment. Alfaro said some of the new rules could hurt the game, and a yellow card for Almiron would have sufficed. “The fear I have is that football loses its essence,” he added. “Let’s not become slaves to the rulebook.” Adblock test (Why?)
Undav injury-time goal sees Germany beat Ivory Coast to top World Cup group
Germany come from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in Group E, sealing FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout place. By Reuters Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026 Deniz Undav scored two goals off the bench as Germany pulled off a thrilling comeback to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in their World Cup Group E match, securing their place in the knockout stage for the first time since they won the title in 2014. After having two goals disallowed in the first half on Saturday, Germany did not lose focus and used intricate passing to find their way, while the West Africans produced their dynamic brand of attacking football in a wild Group E clash. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Undav levelled the score with a controlled, volleyed finish in the 68th minute and struck again when he received a pass on the turn, before swivelling and firing home a ball that Yahia Fofana had no chance at stopping. The versatile striker now has nine goals in his last eight matches. Simon Adingra had a late chance for Ivory Coast, but he failed to get a shot off in the area before Germany charged back down the field and Fofana blocked a low shot from Nathaniel Brown. Ivory Coast had opened the scoring in the first half when Franck Kessie slotted home a rebound off a shot by Amad Diallo on a play created when Yan Diomande charged down the left side and sent in a cross. With more than 100,000 people of German ancestry living in Toronto, Julian Nagelsmann’s men enjoyed plenty of support but were a frustrated group at the interval with nothing to show for their eight attempts on goal. Germany looked to have opened the scoring when midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic rose to meet a short corner in the 25th minute but was deemed to have fouled Fofana in the process. Advertisement The ruling left Pavlovic with his hands atop his head in disbelief while Fofana received some attention after the collision, and the partisan German crowd made their disdain for the referee’s decision known. Shortly after, it was Ivory Coast who finally broke through with Kessie’s goal. The West Africans have scored in their last seven matches at the tournament – the longest such sequence on the global stage in their history. Germany once again put the ball in the back of the net, but their celebrations were cut short as the referee determined that Jamal Musiala had fouled Odilon Kossounou in the buildup. Germany top Group E with six points and are through to the last 32, while Ivory Coast remain on three after two matches. Ecuador and Curacao meet in Kansas City later on Saturday. Germany will close out the group stage against Ecuador on Thursday in New Jersey, while Ivory Coast face Curacao in Philadelphia. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump vows Iran will not charge Strait of Hormuz tolls, but says US might
United States President Donald Trump has pledged there will be no tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, unless they are collected by his own country. Trump’s statement, made in a Saturday afternoon post on Truth Social, is the latest sign that a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) may be unravelling. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list “There will be NO TOLLS in the Hormuz Strait for 60 days during the Cease Fire Period, and there will be NO TOLLS after the 60 day period has expired,” Trump wrote, “unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America.” Since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, Iran has successfully used the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure point, closing the strategic waterway to traffic. But under the terms of Wednesday’s ceasefire memorandum, the strait is supposed to reopen for an interim period of 60 days. During that time, Iran is barred from charging vessels for passage. On Saturday, however, Iran’s joint military command said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing a “clear breach” of the memorandum’s commitments. US Central Command (CENTCOM), the agency that oversees military operations in the region, denied that report and maintained that the traffic continues to flow through the waterway. The Strait of Hormuz has long been a flashpoint in the conflict between the US and Iran. Nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil and natural gas is transported through the strait, as well as about 30 percent of the global fertiliser trade. Closure of the strait has caused global fuel costs to soar and has tested agricultural sectors across the world. Trump had responded to Iran’s chokehold over the strait by imposing a US naval blockade on Iran’s ports in the region. Advertisement But that naval blockade was lifted under the terms of Wednesday’s memorandum. The deal also paused fighting on all fronts in the regional conflict, including in Lebanon. The memorandum, though, was not intended as a long-term deal. It serves as a launching point for negotiations on key issues, including the future of Iran’s nuclear programme. Several points of divergence also went unaddressed in the memorandum. Nowhere does the memo say that future tolls cannot be collected from the strait after the 60-day period expires. Before the war, there was no charge for passage through the strait. Trump himself said in an interview with The New York Times that the waterway should remain “permanently toll-free”. But he appeared to reverse course in Saturday’s post, once again floating the possibility that the US could extract tolls in the strait, while barring Iran from doing so. No fees should be levied, Trump wrote, “unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America, should the deal not be completed”. He explained that such a charge would compensate the US “for services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East for purposes of both past, present, and future reimbursement of costs”. Trump used similar language in his New York Times interview earlier this week, floating the US becoming “the guardian of the Middle East” in exchange for 20 percent of its revenue. Saturday’s post is not the first time Trump has mused about the US imposing tolls in the strait, either. In April, for instance, he discussed the idea with reporters, saying, “What about us charging tolls? I’d rather do that than let them have them. Why shouldn’t we? We’re the winner. We won.” There has been no indication that Trump’s plans have been officially presented to countries in the region, many of whom have struck a careful balance in their dealings with both the US and Iran during the war. Iranian officials, meanwhile, have repeatedly said they will not rule out imposing tolls in the strait, framing the issue as a matter of sovereignty and regional negotiation. The strait sits between Iran and Oman. Further discussions are expected on the matter in the coming weeks. But such negotiations have been thrown into jeopardy amid ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon, which threaten to violate Wednesday’s ceasefire memorandum. Iran claimed that Saturday’s closure of the strait was a result of new Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, which killed dozens of people after the ceasefire was announced. Advertisement Iranian officials have also said that any upcoming talks should focus on proper implementation of the initial memorandum, and that the 60-day negotiating period stipulated in Wednesday’s deal would begin after that was settled. Pakistan, a top mediator between the US and Iran, has said that follow-up talks are set to begin in Switzerland on Sunday. Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that an Iranian delegation, led by parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, has already arrived for the negotiations. On the US side, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance are expected to attend. Vance departed for Switzerland late Saturday. Adblock test (Why?)
Iran war day 113: Tehran presses US over Lebanon ceasefire
Iran presses US over Lebanon as Israeli strikes test fragile ceasefire and broader peace efforts. Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026 Iran says it is ready to move forward with diplomacy with the United States, but insists Washington must ensure Israel complies with the agreement to end the war. Tehran has repeatedly said the deal requires an end to hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon. The comments come as a US official told Reuters that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon, despite reports of continued Israeli attacks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US has a “commitment and responsibility” to ensure the deal is upheld on all fronts. Here is what we know: In Iran: Iran sees Lebanon as “a test” of US leverage over Israel: Muhanad Seloom of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies said Tehran is watching whether the US can “actually control or rein in the Israeli side”, calling Lebanon “a test” of Washington’s influence. “If the United States is not able to stop Israel from attacking Lebanon,” he said, “who will guarantee that in the future Israel won’t attack Iran itself?” For Iran, he added, it is crucial to see whether the US can “guarantee that Israel will abide by the terms of any upcoming agreements”. Linking Lebanon to Iran-US deal could backfire: Former US official Mark Kimmitt said it was “very, very unwise” for Iran to make an end to Israel’s war in Lebanon a condition of the agreement. “They can’t control what Hezbollah is going to do, and the United States doesn’t control what Israel is going to do,” he told Al Jazeera, adding that while Washington and Israel have “overlapping interests”, they do not have “identical interests”. Attempting to tie the two conflicts together, he warned, is “going to blow back in Iran’s face”. Analyst sees long road to a broader US-Iran agreement: Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said the MoU is likely to hold but warned that turning it into a broader agreement will be “very difficult” and “very ambitious” within the 60-day timeframe. Citing the technical complexity of the negotiations and the deep mistrust between Washington and Tehran, Vaez said both sides will likely remain in “MoU-land for a period of time” because “there is no better alternative”. Advertisement In the US: Trump frustrated with Israel: Signs of tension between Washington and Israel are growing as the Trump administration pushes for a “complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel”, while Israeli forces continue strikes and ground operations in Lebanon. Analysts say Lebanon remains the deal’s greatest vulnerability, with Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute arguing that Tehran is “not joking” about its demand for a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. US to host new Israel-Lebanon peace talks next week: The Trump administration has announced a new round of talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington on June 23 and 25, aimed at advancing a “lasting peace”. The US has described direct negotiations as the only viable path to Lebanon’s reconstruction and economic recovery, though the process remains complicated by Hezbollah’s rejection of the talks and ongoing disagreements over calls for the group’s disarmament. In Lebanon: Israeli strikes cast doubt on Lebanon ceasefire: Israeli attacks continued in southern Lebanon after a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect, raising questions about the truce’s viability. The deal, brokered by Qatar, the US and Iran, was meant to prevent the Lebanon conflict from undermining wider US-Iran peace efforts, but strikes continued almost immediately after the deadline despite both sides signalling support for the agreement. Adblock test (Why?)
What pushed the number of displaced people down?
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Global displacement fell for the first time in a decade. On World Refugee Day, AJLabs looks at what drove millions home.
Turkiye knocked out of World Cup 2026 after 1-0 defeat to 10-man Paraguay
With two defeats in two group games, Turkiye have been knocked out of the World Cup. By Reuters Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026 Ten-man Paraguay eliminated Turkiye from the 2026 World Cup with a courageous defensive effort to seal a dramatic 1-0 win after suffering a dismissal before half-time, with the fastest goal of the tournament proving the difference. Fired up after their humiliating 4-1 opening match defeat by the United States, Paraguay went ahead when Matias Galarza wound up from 25 metres (27 yards) and fired a low rocket home after 64 seconds on Friday evening to eclipse Ismael Saibari’s 71-second strike in Morocco’s 1-0 win over Scotland hours before. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Spurred on to the sound of beating drums in the San Francisco Bay Area, Paraguay defended resolutely to withstand the Turkish onslaught and played the second half with 10 men, after Miguel Almiron was sent off for remarks made to Mert Muldur with his hand covering his mouth. The win by the South Americans means the US were confirmed as Group D winners after their earlier 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle. Turkiye’s coach, Vincenzo Montella, said his players fought to stay in the tournament and it was an outcome everyone had to accept. “I’m sad, but I’m also very proud of my players. They gave everything right up until the final whistle. That’s what football’s like,” he said. Paraguay’s goalscorer Galarza said it was one of the best days of his life. “We showed our quality fighting spirits even with one player down. God wanted this to happen for Paraguay more than ever before,” said the 24-year-old, on loan at Atlanta United from River Plate. Turkiye’s’s Merih Demiral and Deniz Gul react after a late chance went wide [Eloisa Lopez/Reuters] Turkiye dominated the match, with 79 percent possession at one point, but they paid the price for their atrocious finishing, logging 32 attempts but no goals in almost a carbon copy of their high-shooting opening match loss to Australia. Advertisement Turkiye were inventive and always threatening but fell apart in front of goal, with a slew of chances for Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz and Real Madrid’s Arda Guler. Paraguay defended solidly and looked dangerous on the break in their few chances. Known as “La Albirroja” (the white and red), Paraguay last played in the World Cup in 2010, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Spain in the quarterfinal, which has been their best-ever run in the tournament. Paraguay’s Matias Galarza celebrates scoring the winning goal [Eloisa Lopez/Reuters] Paraguay’s red card Almiron was sent off in first-half stoppage time after the exchange with Muldur, with the dismissal confirmed by the video assistant referee (VAR) as Paraguay led 1-0. It was the first instance of the new rule being applied at the World Cup. Players who cover their mouths with their hand, arm or shirt in confrontational situations receive a red card. The rule came into effect after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was accused of making discriminatory slurs to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr with his mouth covered. Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron argues with referee Ivan Barton [Darren Yamashita/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters] Adblock test (Why?)
Petrol shortages and ‘oil rain’ bring Russia-Ukraine war home to Moscow
Months of Ukrainian strikes on Russia’s oil infrastructure have led to widespread fuel rationing, with Russian President Vladimir Putin now unable to mask the war’s economic effects. The Russian petrol shortages come amid other good news for Ukraine, which during the past week garnered 4 billion euros ($4.6bn) in new military aid commitments from its allies for anti-ballistic interceptors, long-range artillery and unmanned systems. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine and Germany also signed an agreement to develop a European anti-ballistic interceptor missile – a longstanding desire of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The European Union, too, released 6 billion euros ($6.9bn) in military aid from its European Peace Facility and started talks that are expected to lead to Ukraine’s membership. Both developments had long been delayed by Hungarian premier Viktor Orban, who lost power in April. [Al Jazeera] After opening the first of six negotiation clusters with Brussels to join the EU, Zelenskyy urged the EU Intergovernmental Conference to move faster and open the remaining five simultaneously. “Ukraine has earned the right to move faster … We are ready to open all clusters. We have done our work. Everyone in Europe knows this,” he said. Rationing in Russia Russian independent news outlet The Bell reported rationing in 53 Russian regions and in occupied Ukraine on Wednesday. That rationing had reached the principal urban centres of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, where the Tatneft chain of petrol stations on Monday began limiting customers to 20 litres of petrol (5.3 gallons) and 40 litres of diesel at a time “for technical reasons”. Advertisement Other petrol chains, including Rosneft, placed upper limits of 90 litres per sale. (Al Jazeera) Rosneft and Bashneft, the state oil company of the Republic of Bashkortostan, on Tuesday reportedly banned sales of petrol in canisters due to “increased seasonal demand”. These reports came after unusually low oil production during May. The International Energy Agency reported that Russia produced 8.74 million barrels per day of oil last month, versus 8.96 million bpd in April, approximately 100,000 barrels below target. Russian oil producers have in the past few weeks announced production cuts following damage to infrastructure caused by Ukrainian strikes. Russia was reacting to the shortages by allowing some refineries to circulate under-refined petrol with a higher sulphur content, Russian business newspaper Kommersant reported. Reuters reported that Russia also planned to increase imports of refined petroleum products from Asia. Ukraine’s war on the Russian budget Kyiv gave its strikes added political import by striking the Moscow Oil Refinery twice during the week, on Tuesday and Thursday, sending black clouds of smoke into the Moscow skyline that residents reported caused “oil rain” and covered surfaces in black soot. “The company’s products account for over 38 percent of the capital region’s fuel consumption, including supplying aviation fuel to Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, and Zhukovsky airports,” said the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Ukraine’s General Staff said one of the refinery’s primary processing units was damaged in the first strike, while the second caused five simultaneous fires, reportedly damaging a combined processing unit, a secondary processing unit and a tank farm. (Al Jazeera) The refinery was forced to halt operations. The pollution caused six airports around Moscow to shut down, cancelling flights. Days earlier, Putin had promised Russians that Ukrainian long-range strikes would be contained. “We will increase our strikes on the enemy’s infrastructure in such a way as to discourage them from attacking our civilian objects,” he had told a news conference. Ukraine did not say what means it used to strike the refinery in Moscow, which is one of Russia’s best-defended areas from aerial threats. Russia’s defence ministry said later on Thursday that it had downed 992 drones and four missiles over a 24-hour period. In the past week, Ukraine also struck the TANEKO refinery in the Republic of Tatarstan, one of Russia’s largest, which produces aviation fuel for the armed forces, and numerous tank farms, pumping stations and oil terminals. Advertisement As part of a campaign against weapons manufacturers, Ukraine on June 12 struck the Tolyattikauchuk chemical plant, which manufactures synthetic rubber used in solid rocket and missile fuel. Putin made a rare concession that Ukraine was succeeding in causing economic pain. “The blows of the Armed Forces of Ukraine damage the Russian economy … The enemy is increasing the use of aircraft-type UAVs in order to split Russian society and cause economic damage,” Putin said. “But everything is quickly recovering,” he added. “We understand that Putin is rarely provided with completely truthful information without embellishment,” said Zelenskyy. Not everyone in Moscow agreed with Putin. “We continue to face new prohibitions, restrictions and a growing financial burden,” wrote Duma (lower house) member Vyacheslav Markhaev on June 11. He associated the ineffectiveness of economic reforms that “remain on paper” with the ineffectiveness of Russia’s war in Ukraine. “Attacks on our cities do not stop, their geography is expanding.” A woman is treated for a wound at a site of an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s war on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on June 16, 2026 [Reuters] Russian officials have pointed out the financial strain of the war since the summer of 2025, leading to promises from the Kremlin to lower military expenditure in 2026. The opposite appears to be happening, however. Russia is increasing its defence budget despite falling tax revenues, said Janis Kluge, an economist and Russia expert at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Russian finance ministry data suggested that defence spending was up 30 percent in the first quarter, compared with the same period last year, Kluge said. Although defence spending was meant to fall from 7.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) last year to 6.2 percent this year, it was on track to reach 10 percent, he found. Falling government income meant that military spending has reached two-thirds of budget revenues, Kluge said. Russia’s financial situation could further
Cuba: Between charcoal and solar panels
Several kilometres away, along Havana’s iconic Malecón waterfront, a different reality is taking shape. Under the midday heat, workers move large photovoltaic panels across the roof of the Fuego Lento restaurant overlooking the sea. Several floors below, customers eat lunch while technicians drill, bolt and connect the new installation. Josecal Duarte, one of the technicians overseeing the project, has witnessed demand surge. “More and more people are importing solar panels and batteries. They’re buying them for their businesses, for their homes, to survive.” A 615-watt solar panel costs about $160 before transport and installation. Most homes and businesses require several panels, along with lithium battery systems capable of storing electricity generated during the day. Inside the restaurant, owner Aris Lopez Torres says she spent years searching for ways to keep her business afloat. First came a generator, then lithium batteries, but rising fuel prices and increasingly frequent blackouts quickly exposed the limits of both options. “It was either this or close the restaurant,” she says. “Without electricity, we can’t do anything.” The photovoltaic installation will not cover all of the restaurant’s needs, but it allows essential equipment to keep operating. “The refrigerators are the priority,” she explains. “We’re only using one air conditioner out of three now. It’s survival economics because the situation is very serious.” Across the capital, solar installation companies and battery retailers are struggling to keep up with demand. “Demand keeps growing,” says Mario Perdomo, who works for MIDICAS, a company that installs solar systems throughout Cuba. “People want to be prepared when the power goes out,” adds Elizabeth Diego, a saleswoman in central Havana. For a large part of the Cuban population, however, these technologies remain out of reach. Adblock test (Why?)
‘Destruction is the goal’: Israel steers between the US, Iran, and Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has restrained himself from openly displaying his opposition to the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States. But looking to the positions of Israelis from across the political spectrum, and the military’s actions in Lebanon, the picture is clear: Israel is angry, and Israel is worried. Netanyahu has always been careful with US President Donald Trump, knowing that his occasional criticisms of Israeli policy have been coupled with allowing Israel to pursue many of its military and political goals, even as the rest of the world isolates the country. The war with Iran was a case in point – after years of US refusal, Netanyahu had finally convinced a US president to jointly attack Iran. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list But that war has gone badly for the US, and Trump’s decision to accept a deal – without any apparent input from Israel – has upended many of the assumptions underpinning what many in Israel see as their “special relationship” with the US, as well as making clear the power dynamics between the two allies. Under the terms of the US-Iran agreement, as well as creating a $300bn reconstruction plan for Iran, the US commits that it and “its allies” will undertake the “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”. Israel immediately responded to that agreement by pounding Lebanon, killing at least 47 people on Friday, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Four Israeli soldiers were also killed overnight by the armed Lebanese group, Hezbollah, prompting Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to say that “all of Lebanon must burn”. Advertisement And yet, by Friday evening, a ceasefire is reported to have been agreed between Israel and Hezbollah – likely after US pressure, with the US-Iran deal at risk of collapsing. Rock and a hard place How far Netanyahu can go in his defiance of the US, whose diplomatic and financial support are critical to Israel, and how far he can go in appeasing an Israeli public and political establishment widely understood to reject the deal, is unclear. According to a television poll published on Thursday, only a small minority of Israelis believe their country has won the war against Iran – an opponent that, for generations, they had been told was bent on their destruction. “The depth of disappointment over the US-Iran memorandum of understanding is very real and deep,” Israeli pollster and political analyst Dahlia Scheindlin said. “Israelis are fully aware that none of their goals as articulated and overconfidently promised by Netanyahu have been achieved. They believe the war ended prematurely and that something went wrong with the grand plan. They don’t love blaming Trump but see him as making decisions based on US interests, and many blame Netanyahu for miscalculations in creating the dependency on Trump.” US Vice President JD Vance stepped into the fray on Thursday, addressing Israel and the deal’s critics in its cabinet directly. “Donald J Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time,” Vance said, referring to the international condemnation that has followed Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and multiple attacks on its neighbours. Vance continued, appearing to turn to Ben-Gvir and his fellow far-right figure, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance said. US Vice President JD Vance has addressed criticism of the memorandum of understanding in Israel. The Trump administration is facing criticism for the deal, which opponents say is in Tehran’s favour. [Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA] “I can’t think of a time when either a US vice president or president has been so openly critical of Israel and used such language,” Chatham House’s Yossi Mekelberg said, referencing direct criticism of both Netanyahu and Israel’s attacks on Lebanon voiced by Trump during the G7 meeting on Wednesday. “Netanyahu understands he can’t afford a real rift with the US, but at least needs the appearance of one for his position to be sustainable,” he added. “It’s hard to see any way out for Netanyahu ahead of the elections, other than playing for time and leaving it until after the vote. Even if he halts action against Hezbollah tomorrow, could he rely upon them not attacking the north of Israel when they know how vulnerable he is?” Advertisement To that end, the degree to which Smotrich and Ben-Gvir were breaking with the prime minister in their criticism of the US-Iran deal, and how much they were reflecting his policy, was unclear, Ofer Cassif, an Israeli parliamentarian from the left-wing Hadash party, said. Netanyahu has been making political capital out of the threat posed by Iran since the 1990s, when he first claimed the country was on the brink of making a nuclear weapon, and Hezbollah, whose rocket fire on northern Israel in the wake of the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, went a long way in deflecting from his own failures before that incursion. “All Netanyahu and his thugs, this so-called government, are interested in, is thwarting, hindering and destroying the agreement while seeming as if they were not, by selling a story of security and defence. That’s the real issue here,” Cassif said. “Destruction is the goal.” Adblock test (Why?)
Taiwan accuses Kenya of deporting conference delegates on China’s behalf
The first African nation to host the global oceans conference defends the deportations, saying it ‘recognises only one China’. Published On 17 Jun 202617 Jun 2026 Taiwan has accused Kenya of deporting people from the island who planned to attend a global oceans conference in Mombasa and blamed Beijing for exerting pressure on the East African country. Focus Taiwan, the English-language website of Taiwan’s Central News Agency, reported that two delegation members headed to the Our Ocean Conference were denied entry and detained by Kenyan immigration authorities. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that the scholars’ passports and mobile phones were confiscated as they were detained for more than 20 hours before being deported. In a statement, the ministry condemned “the barbaric acts of confiscating passports, mobile phones, and restricting personal and communication freedoms – actions that violate human rights and international norms”. Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), its government body in charge of marine-related policies, said the visas were revoked at the last minute and described the incident as “barbaric obstruction”. OAC Minister Kuan Bi-ling said “political interference yields no benefit for ocean governance” at a time when “the world’s ocean needs deeper and wider cooperation”. Kenya defended its decision to deport the Taiwan representatives. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said his country’s foreign policy “recognises only one China”. “Any person purporting to hold a Taiwanese passport would ordinarily not be allowed through our borders for lacking proper documentation and would not in any event be part of a formal state meeting convened by Kenya government,” Sing’oei said. Advertisement China and Taiwan split in 1949 as a result of a civil war. For decades, China has seen Taiwan as its own territory and said the island must come under its control, even through the use of force if necessary. Kenya is hosting the annual oceans conference, which focuses on addressing critical ocean issues, including climate change, biodiversity and pollution. Organisers have sought to position Africa, which is hosting the event for the first time, as a driving force in global ocean governance. The challenge for African and Commonwealth nations attending the conference is to push forward the implementation of a landmark treaty adopted in June 2023 to protect the high seas. Despite record commitments to marine conservation, much of the world’s ocean protections still exist only on paper. Delegates said the coming months will be critical in determining whether the treaty, the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, becomes a transformative tool for ocean conservation or another set of international promises that fail to materialise. Adblock test (Why?)