The United States and Iran are close to reaching an agreement to end ongoing conflicts, including a ceasefire and the release of frozen Iranian assets. However, fighting continues in Lebanon, where Israel has launched new attacks despite plans for a ceasefire.
Key Facts
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a deal with the US is very close and asked the media not to speculate before finalization.
US President Donald Trump shared Araghchi’s statement but previously called early reports of the deal “fake news.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said a final agreement draft is ready, with some steps remaining.
The first part of the deal would include a ceasefire everywhere, lifting a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and unfreezing Iranian assets.
Iranian officials claim $24 billion in frozen assets could be released, though Trump has not confirmed this publicly.
The US intercepted and shot down several Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz that threatened commercial ships.
Fighting in Lebanon continues as Israel renewed attacks and ordered some communities to leave, despite plans for a ceasefire.
Experts warn that stopping fighting in Lebanon will be a difficult and ongoing process, even if a deal is signed.
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In Gaza City, some people are making cigarettes from molokhia leaves instead of tobacco because real tobacco has become very expensive and hard to find. Molokhia leaves are usually used in cooking, but here they are crushed and mixed with liquid nicotine to make a cigarette.
Key Facts
Molokhia is a plant leaf usually used for making stew in Gaza.
People in Gaza are now making cigarettes from dried molokhia leaves.
Liquid nicotine is added to molokhia leaves before rolling them into cigarettes.
Traditional tobacco cigarettes now cost about 100 shekels ($34) each in Gaza.
High prices and shortages are caused by the ongoing war and inflation.
Many people are unemployed due to the war, making tobacco unaffordable.
Some smokers are forced to use molokhia cigarettes as a cheaper, limited option.
These molokhia cigarettes are not a safe or true substitute for tobacco.
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Sara Kasperowicz from Missouri has a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), which causes tumors to grow on nerves and skin. She had 28 tumors and recently discovered one on her wrist was cancerous after being told for years it was a harmless cyst. She is now preparing for surgery, with treatment complicated by her condition.
Key Facts
NF1 is a genetic disorder that causes benign tumors on nerves and skin, affecting about 1 in 2,500 to 3,000 people.
Symptoms include skin spots, freckling, and soft lumps called neurofibromas.
Kasperowicz has lived with 28 tumors due to NF1.
A tumor on her left wrist, first noticed in 2022, was misdiagnosed as a ganglion cyst for years.
In March 2024, doctors confirmed the tumor was cancerous and attached to her tendon.
Radiation treatment did not shrink the tumor but softened it in the middle.
Kasperowicz will have surgery in July, but treatment risks triggering growth or cancer in her other tumors.
She is a single mother on unpaid leave and hopes her story raises awareness about NF1, especially because her daughter also has the disorder.
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The article explains that measuring demand for the 2026 FIFA World Cup using just hotel bookings misses important details. Different fan groups travel and stay differently, often with families or groups, and many come without match tickets to join communal events.
Key Facts
Current measures of World Cup demand focus mainly on hotel bookings and may not reflect true fan behavior.
Fans from different countries have unique travel and lodging habits, such as staying in large rentals or with friends and family.
Philadelphia is seeing strong growth in larger short-term rentals that fit groups or families.
Many international visitors use multiple airports and travel through the Northeast region, not just Philadelphia alone.
A large number of World Cup attendees do not have match tickets but join fan zones, pubs, and public gatherings to enjoy the event.
Philadelphia is preparing for a broad tournament experience beyond just the soccer games themselves.
Soccer is seen as a communal event where supporters gather to share the experience, not just as a series of matches.
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Doctors Without Borders (MSF) found that some staff in Chad exploited refugees, including underage girls, by trading food and jobs for sex. The group investigated 59 cases of abuse, dismissed 18 staff members, and is working to improve how it prevents and handles such cases.
Key Facts
An internal MSF report uncovered exploitation and abuse of refugees in Chad by local and foreign aid workers.
The abuses included sexual exploitation, harassment, and trading aid for sex, sometimes involving underage girls.
The report identified 59 allegations but said more cases likely exist as victims feared reporting.
As a result, 18 MSF staff were fired and banned from future work with the group.
MSF is a major aid group helping Sudanese refugees displaced by ongoing conflict.
The investigation began after a news report in November 2024 exposed exploitation by MSF workers and local forces.
Some refugees were abused when promised jobs or assistance but taken somewhere else for sexual exploitation.
MSF acknowledged past failures and is improving training and reporting systems to better prevent abuse.
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Linkin Park will be the first female-fronted band to headline the UK's Download rock festival in 2025, with Emily Armstrong as lead singer. This marks a significant moment for diversity in the rock music scene, though some fans and Chester Bennington’s family have expressed mixed feelings about the band's return and lineup.
Key Facts
Download Festival is the UK's biggest rock festival, held at Donington Park since 2003.
Linkin Park reformed in 2024, seven years after the death of original singer Chester Bennington.
Emily Armstrong, the band's lead singer, is the first woman to headline Download.
Some fans praised the milestone, while others criticized Armstrong due to her alleged past ties to controversial figures.
Armstrong has publicly condemned abuse and violence against women.
Linkin Park’s comeback single, The Emptiness Machine, reached number four on the UK charts.
Female musicians in rock face challenges like under-representation and imposter syndrome.
Radio host Sophie K highlighted the importance of celebrating Armstrong as a queer woman leading a major rock band.
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Melony Aponte experienced hearing loss and ringing in her ear starting at age 20, but doctors did not initially find the cause. After several years and worsening symptoms like anxiety, migraines, and balance problems, she was diagnosed in 2025 with a rare, noncancerous brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma, and underwent surgery to remove most of it.
Key Facts
Melony Aponte first noticed hearing loss and ringing in her left ear at age 20 in 2020.
Doctors initially thought the problem was earwax and gave her ear drops, which did not help.
Over time, she developed anxiety, panic attacks, migraines, changes in eating habits, balance issues, facial numbness, and tremors.
She was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder before discovering the true cause of her symptoms.
In December 2024, she was diagnosed with asymmetrical hearing loss (different hearing in each ear).
An MRI in March 2025 showed a 4.5-centimeter acoustic neuroma, a rare benign tumor on the nerve connecting ear and brain.
The tumor was pressing on her hearing and balance nerve, causing many symptoms.
In April 2025, she had a 13-hour surgery to remove 99% of the tumor, leaving some to protect facial nerves.
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A charity leader said banning social media for under-16s would be impossible to enforce and does not have enough evidence to back it up. Instead, the charity recommends the government focus on stopping addictive features in social media, like autoplay and endless scrolling, to better protect children online.
Key Facts
The government is planning new rules on children's social media use.
Australia introduced a ban on social media for under-16s in January.
The eSafety Commission in Australia found many children still use social media despite the ban.
Andy Burrows, CEO of the Molly Rose Foundation, says a full ban is not realistic or effective.
The charity suggests banning addictive features such as autoplay, infinite scroll, and harmful content algorithms.
Molly Russell died at age 14 after seeing harmful online content; her family supports better safety measures.
The UK government consulted the public on children’s social media use and got over 116,000 responses.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce the government’s plans soon.
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Shady Al-Areer, 38, was smuggled from Israel into the occupied West Bank after October 7, 2023. He has been separated from his family in Gaza for almost three years due to the ongoing conflict in the region and is trying to reunite with them.
Key Facts
Shady Al-Areer was moved secretly from Israel to the West Bank in late 2023.
He has been separated from his family living in Gaza for nearly three years.
The separation is a result of the ongoing conflict affecting the Gaza area.
The conflict began escalating after events in October 2023.
Gaza is under blockade and violence, making family reunions difficult.
The story highlights how families are affected by the regional conflict.
The article was published by Al Jazeera on June 13, 2026.
The situation illustrates ongoing humanitarian challenges in the region.
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A study in England found that police-led drug diversion programs, which guide people towards treatment instead of court, reduce repeat offenses by about one third compared to prosecution. The research, covering over 62,000 cases in 13 police forces, suggests that expanding these programs could improve outcomes and reduce court pressure.
Key Facts
Police diversion schemes direct people caught with drugs to treatment and education, not just prosecution.
People handled through diversion were one third less likely to offend again than those prosecuted.
The study reviewed 62,000 incidents across 13 English police forces over four years.
Some forces like Durham, West Midlands, and Thames Valley already use formal diversion programs.
Despite evidence, many forces use diversion less than they could, with officers often choosing prosecution.
Diversion programs also help reduce racial and social inequalities but challenges remain.
Researchers recommend more leadership, training, and culture change for wider adoption.
National police groups in England are working to encourage more forces to use diversion.
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A United Nations report shows that by the end of 2025, nearly 118 million people worldwide had to leave their homes because of war, violence, or persecution. This number includes over 1 million people who were forced to move within Lebanon.
Key Facts
The report is from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
By the end of 2025, 117.8 million people were forcibly displaced globally.
People were forced to leave due to war, violence, and persecution.
Over 1 million displaced people are in Lebanon alone.
These displaced people include those who moved within their own countries and those who crossed borders.
The report highlights ongoing conflicts and crises causing displacement.
Forced displacement affects many regions around the world.
The UNHCR tracks and supports displaced populations internationally.
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Police in Lima, Peru, wore costumes of the 2026 World Cup mascots during a drug raid. This unusual method was used to help catch drug traffickers more effectively.
Key Facts
The police raid happened in Lima, the capital of Peru.
Officers dressed up as the mascots for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The operation targeted drug trafficking activity.
The mascot costumes helped police remain undercover during the raid.
This was a creative approach to law enforcement.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon killed one person and destroyed homes, despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Israel also ordered residents of 20 towns in southern Lebanon to leave their homes, while talks continue between the US and Iran to end the Middle East conflict.
Key Facts
Israeli air raids killed one person in Maarakeh, southern Lebanon.
The attacks continued even after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon earlier this month.
Israel carried out air raids beyond the "Yellow Line," the area it controls in southern Lebanon.
Lebanese officials reported that Israeli strikes destroyed homes and government buildings in Bint Jbeil.
Israel ordered people in 20 towns and villages in southern Lebanon to leave and move north of the Zahrani River.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister said the US and Iran agreed on wording for a deal to end their war in the Middle East.
The agreement between the US and Iran reportedly includes ending conflict on all fronts, including Lebanon.
Israel is not part of the US-Iran talks and has said it will not withdraw its forces from Lebanon.
An air raid alert was issued in Metula, northern Israel, after a hostile aircraft was detected from Lebanon.
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A western reef heron, a tropical bird usually found between west Africa and India, was seen in north Wales for the first time in the UK. Experts say this rare sighting is connected to milder winters caused by climate change, allowing tropical birds to survive further north.
Key Facts
The western reef heron was spotted in Foryd Bay, north Wales, before moving to Caernarfon harbour.
This is believed to be the first record of this tropical heron in the UK.
Milder winters mean shallow waters don’t freeze often, helping these birds survive outside their usual tropical habitats.
Another rare tropical visitor, the squacco heron, was seen recently in Lincolnshire.
Scientists note that tropical bird species are gradually shifting north due to climate change.
Other tropical birds seen in the UK in recent years include the black-winged kite and brown booby.
The western reef heron has been increasingly found in southern Europe, making its UK arrival expected.
Birdwatchers traveled from far away to see this unusual bird in Wales.
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President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces killed Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua, in a joint operation with Venezuela. The gang is labeled a terrorist group by the U.S. and several other countries and is involved in drug trafficking and criminal activities across South America and the U.S.
Key Facts
President Trump said the U.S. Southern Command carried out a strike that killed the gang leader, Niño Guerrero (Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores).
Venezuela confirmed it helped in the operation, which occurred in the southeastern state of Bolívar during clashes with criminal groups.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the strike happened earlier in the week at a Tren de Aragua location in Venezuela.
Tren de Aragua began in a Venezuelan prison and has about 7,000 members in South America and the U.S.
The U.S. designated the gang as a terrorist organization in February 2025, and Ecuador, Argentina, Peru, Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago have done the same.
Guerrero Flores escaped prison in 2023 before a police raid and was charged in New York with racketeering, supporting terrorism, and other crimes.
The U.S. has conducted strikes on small boats linked to the gang, killing over 200 people, including some civilians.
The Trump administration claims the gang operates with protection from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was kidnapped by U.S. troops in January and now faces drug charges.
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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer defended his decisions on defence spending after the resignation of the defence secretary. He said all government departments had made budget cuts to increase defence funding and insisted he would not step down or avoid a leadership contest.
Key Facts
Sir Keir Starmer spoke openly about defence spending and long-term budget cuts across government.
The former Defence Secretary John Healey warned national security could be at risk without increased defence spending.
Starmer took part in tough budget negotiations to fund defence by reducing other areas.
Some critics say cutting welfare benefits should be the focus instead of shifting funds from other departments.
Labour figures Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting support leadership challenges and criticize government indecision.
Starmer said he will not walk away from leadership or avoid a contest, even if he runs against no one.
The interview showed Starmer's determination to hold leadership and respond to criticism within his party.
The defence spending row exposes divisions inside the Labour Party ahead of possible leadership contests.
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Peru’s left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez has asked his right-wing rival Keiko Fujimori to agree to a full recount of votes in their tight presidential race. Fujimori currently leads by a very small margin after votes from abroad were counted, and electoral authorities are still reviewing disputed ballots.
Key Facts
Roberto Sanchez represents the leftist Together for Peru party.
Keiko Fujimori is the conservative candidate and leads by a tiny margin (50.005% to 49.995%).
Vote counting is slow, with 98.27% of ballots counted so far.
Sanchez proposed a joint recount, citing possible irregularities in votes, especially from abroad and Lima.
Fujimori’s party requested that votes from the south of Peru be annulled.
The final vote tally may take two to three weeks due to challenged ballots.
This is Fujimori’s fourth presidential attempt; she is the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori.
Sanchez is supported by ex-president Pedro Castillo, who is currently imprisoned.
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Doctors Without Borders found 59 cases of abuse and sexual exploitation by staff working in refugee camps in Chad near the Sudan border. The group dismissed 18 staff members and said some cases suggested organized sexual trafficking. The investigation began after reports from refugees about exploitation involving aid workers.
Key Facts
The abuses happened in refugee camps in Chad where people fled Sudan’s civil war.
Some staff traded food, jobs, or money for sex with refugees, including underage girls.
Doctors Without Borders completed an internal report in July 2025 documenting these cases.
18 staff members were fired and banned from working with the group again.
The group said the reported cases likely only represent a portion of the actual abuse.
The report called out possible organized sexual trafficking connected to the exploitation.
Doctors Without Borders said they had invested extra resources to prevent abuse in Chad.
The organization credited Associated Press for helping expose the problem through investigative reporting.
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Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, plans to bring water and energy companies into public control if he becomes prime minister. His goal is to improve services and potentially lower bills by taking utilities out of private hands and managing them for public interest.
Key Facts
Burnham wants to put water and energy utilities under public control across the UK.
This plan could be one of the largest changes in British industry since the 1980s privatisations.
Public control could require billions of pounds for infrastructure repairs and running costs.
Burnham supports running "essentials of life" services primarily for public benefit, not private profit.
The plan may start by taking over Thames Water, which is facing financial and environmental challenges.
Burnham’s team includes former politicians and experts helping develop this policy.
The long-term goal is to bring more failing or expiring utility companies under public ownership over about 10 years.
The model refers to similar public utility management seen in cities like Berlin and Paris.
The approach aims to give public leaders influence over pricing but may impact funding for maintenance and improvement.
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Venezuela and the United States announced that Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, leader of the Tren de Aragua gang, was killed during a joint operation in southern Venezuela. The US government had offered up to $5 million for information leading to his capture, and the gang is known for violence, drug trafficking, and extortion across several continents.
Key Facts
Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores was the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang.
The US and Venezuela conducted a joint operation in the southeastern state of Bolivar, Venezuela.
Guerrero Flores was killed during clashes with criminal group members in the operation.
The US had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest.
Tren de Aragua is labeled a terrorist group by the US and accused of drug trafficking, extortion, and violence.
The US President Donald Trump announced the strike as “swift and lethal,” posting video of the explosion.
US officials said the gang operated in North America, South America, and Europe.
The Bolivar region is known for illegal mining controlled by gangs with possible military and official involvement.
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