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President Donald Trump confirmed early Sunday that a U.S. airman missing after his F-15E fighter jet was downed in Iran had been recovered, describing the operation as one of the most daring in American history. The rescue, which reportedly involved a heavy exchange of fire, concluded after the pilot, a colonel‑rank weapons systems officer, was extracted from the mountainous terrain of southwestern Iran. For roughly two days, both Washington and Tehran scrambled to locate the missing serviceman. Iranian officials even appealed to local residents, offering a $60,000 reward and urging the public to hand over the airman, a move that analysts said could have yielded a propaganda victory for Tehran. According to statements from the White House, the mission required the deployment of dozens of aircraft armed with lethal payloads. While the rescue was ultimately successful, the pilot sustained injuries; however, officials assured that his condition would improve. Experts highlighted the broader strategic implications. Amin Saikal, a professor at the Australian National University, noted that the operation demonstrated the U.S. military’s commitment to never abandon personnel behind enemy lines, while also freeing President Trump to pursue his stated 48‑hour deadline for Iran to negotiate access to the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict, now in its 37th day, has already caused 2,076 deaths and injured 26,500 people across Iran since the initial strikes on February 28, which targeted senior Iranian leadership. The war has expanded into a regional confrontation, with Iranian forces striking Gulf states that host U.S. military and commercial assets. Details of the downing indicate that Iran’s “new advanced air‑defence system” succeeded in shooting down the F‑15E, marking the first loss of a U.S. aircraft in the war and the first such incident since the 2003 Iraq invasion. An accompanying A‑10 Warthog was also hit, though its pilot ejected and was rescued. Initial rescue attempts saw a Black Hawk helicopter damaged but remaining airborne. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) cordoned off parts of the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer‑Ahmad province, where the crash occurred, and reported that local nomadic groups, armed with rifles for livestock protection, joined the search. State media released footage of Iranian forces firing at U.S. helicopters, and the IRGC claimed to have destroyed two C‑130 transports and two Black Hawks during the operation. Trump’s announcement emphasized continuous monitoring of the pilot’s location by senior defense officials and a rapid response once the rescue window opened. He also referenced the ongoing disinformation campaign aimed at misleading Iranian search efforts. While Tehran has not officially confirmed the firefight, reports from Al Jazeera suggest that nine individuals were killed in related strikes, though the connection to the rescue remains unclear. Iranian authorities also claimed that another U.S. C‑130 aircraft was downed, a claim the United States has not addressed. Overall, the successful extraction underscores the heightened stakes of the U.S.–Iran confrontation and may influence forthcoming diplomatic overtures concerning the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional stability.

Occupied East Jerusalem – While Holy Week traditionally fills the Old City’s Christian Quarter with pilgrims and worshippers, the streets are now eerily quiet and storefronts remain shuttered.Palestinian shopkeeper Boulos, a man in his mid‑30s who asked to remain anonymous, still drags himself to his modest stall a few times a week, selling religious garments behind a half‑closed door to avoid Israeli orders that mandate closure of businesses in the quarter amid the ongoing US‑Israel conflict with Iran.After six years of pandemic‑related setbacks and successive wars, his business had only begun to recover when the October Gaza ceasefire was followed by a new wave of restrictions. “Before the war with Iran, we barely made enough to survive,” he said. “Now there is no income at all.”His only customer that day was an Ethiopian Christian woman buying a kilo of prayer candles for 35 shekels (about $11.20). “What can 35 shekels do for me?” Boulos lamented, underscoring the stark economic squeeze.Unlike many West Jerusalem shops, which have been allowed to stay open because of nearby bomb shelters, the Old City lacks such protection, leaving Palestinian businesses in the Christian Quarter effectively forced to shut. The area, heavily dependent on tourism, shows the least sign of life.Brother Daoud Kassabry, principal of the College des Frères school, described the scene as “the saddest Jerusalem I have ever seen.” Classes have been suspended for over a month, and the community feels the weight of an unprecedentedly difficult period.For the first time in centuries, Israeli police barred Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and other senior clergy from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Palm Sunday Mass. The Latin Patriarchate called the incident “unprecedented in centuries.”At a press conference, Cardinal Pizzaballa emphasized that while “all celebrations” have been cancelled for security reasons, “no one, not even the Pope, can cancel the liturgy of Easter.”Following the incident, leaders from Italy, France and the United States condemned the police action. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later defended the measure as a safety precaution, citing the absence of bomb shelters near the holy site, despite the cardinal’s residence being only metres away.Netanyahu’s justification raises questions about the long‑standing “status‑quo” arrangement that places custodianship of Christian and Muslim holy sites under the heads of their respective religious institutions and Jordan’s Waqf. Palestinian Christians interpret the rhetoric as evidence of an increasingly hostile environment under Israeli control.Bishop Emeritus Munib Younan recounted being spat on by Jewish yeshiva students in the Old City without any legal consequences. He now prefers to attend services in Bethlehem or a small church outside Jerusalem, where he feels “no one is pointing a gun at you.”“They want to show the world that this country is only meant for them – not Christians, not Muslims,” Younan said, reflecting a sentiment shared by many locals.Netanyahu later announced that religious ceremonies at the Holy Sepulchre would be permitted during Holy Week, but only for clergy, keeping the general public out. Observers noted the inconsistency, pointing out that Muslim worshippers have been barred from the Al‑Aqsa compound since late February, including during Ramadan, with only minimal international rebuke.The cumulative restrictions have crippled the already dwindling Palestinian Christian community, which now makes up less than 2 % of the population in Israel and the occupied territories. Traditional events such as the Way of the Cross procession and Holy Fire Saturday have been cancelled, eroding communal cohesion.Father Faris Abedrabbo of the Annunciation Latin Parish linked the current hardships to the Passion narrative, urging congregants to view their suffering through the lens of “steadfastness” – an active, spiritual resistance rather than passive endurance.Economic despair is prompting a new wave of emigration. Bishop Younan reported that many young Christians ask for help obtaining visas to the United States, Canada or Australia, fearing there is “no future” in Jerusalem. Boulos, the shopkeeper, admits he has considered leaving, noting that “they try to make us lose hope and abandon this land.”Despite the bleak outlook, Boulos continues to visit his shop, saying, “I come here to prove to myself that I still have hope, even if it feels endless.”

Behrooz Ghamari‑Tabrizi draws parallels between the protracted Iran‑Iraq war (1980‑1988) and the emerging strategic calculus of a potential US‑Israeli confrontation with Tehran. He argues that the historical conflict offers cautionary insights on regional alliances, war economics, and the limits of external intervention. The analysis underscores how prolonged attrition, shifting loyalties, and the impact on civilian populations could shape any future engagement involving the United States and Israel against Iran.

Manchester City dominated Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup quarterfinals at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, with Erling Haaland scoring a hat-trick to lead his team into the semifinals for an eighth successive season.Haaland's impressive performance came after a slow start from City, with Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah missing key opportunities. Haaland's first goal came from a penalty in the 39th minute, converted after a clumsy trip by Virgil van Dijk on Nico O'Reilly.The Norwegian striker doubled City's lead on the stroke of halftime with a superb header from a Rayan Cherki cross, making a perfectly timed run in front of Ibrahima Konate to beat Giorgi Mamardashvili.Liverpool's woes continued as Antoine Semenyo scored the third goal five minutes after the interval, capitalizing on a pass from Cherki to sprint past Van Dijk and clip a deft finish over Mamardashvili.Haaland completed his treble in the 57th minute, drilling home via the underside of the bar after O'Reilly teed him up 11 meters from goal.The win piles pressure on Liverpool manager Arne Slot, whose team has just two wins in their last seven matches in all competitions and is fifth in the Premier League. Slot's side faces Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday.Haaland praised his teammates for recovering from a difficult opening period, saying, “Honestly, in the first half, we struggled a bit, but after 30 minutes, we kept going, and in the end, it was an amazing game at home.”

Israeli forces have launched a series of attacks on southern Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of at least two children and injuring 40 people, according to Lebanese health officials. The Ministry of Public Health reported that an Israeli strike on Habbush killed two girls and wounded 22 people on Saturday. In a separate incident, an attack on al-Hawsh near Tyre wounded 18 people, including a child, three women, and three paramedics. The strike also damaged a nearby major hospital, the Lebanese Italian Hospital, which despite the damage, will remain open to provide necessary medical care. The violence escalated as Israeli forces continued their ground invasion, blowing up houses in several southern front-line villages and towns, including Aita al-Shaab and Ramyah, and bombing bridges linking Samar with Mashghara, claiming they were being used by Hezbollah. The bombing of bridges and civilian infrastructure across southern Lebanon has been widely condemned, with rights groups warning that Israel appears to be trying to isolate the region. At least 1,368 people have been killed in Lebanon and 4,138 wounded in these attacks, which have also displaced more than one million people. Despite the continued offensive, experts believe that Israel is unlikely to achieve its stated goal of disarming Hezbollah. Hezbollah maintains depth in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, and even if Israel manages to push the group out of these areas, it would not necessarily mean that it would have eliminated Hezbollah entirely.

President Donald Trump warned that “all hell” would descend on Iran if Tehran failed to agree to a peace settlement within 48 hours. The Iranian government dismissed the demand as “helpless and nervous,” signaling a firm refusal to bow to U.S. pressure.Amid the diplomatic standoff, Iran reported that recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on the Mahshahr Petrochemical Zone resulted in five fatalities and left 170 people injured. The attacks, part of a broader campaign, have also targeted more than 30 Iranian universities since the conflict began, highlighting an expanding focus on the country’s educational and industrial infrastructure.In a separate development, a fire erupted at a key oil complex in Kuwait, raising concerns about potential interruptions to the nation’s oil output and the broader Gulf energy market. While the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, officials are working to contain the incident and prevent any spillover effects on global oil supplies.The twin events illustrate escalating geopolitical friction in the region. Iran’s rejection of the U.S. ultimatum may embolden further confrontations, while the Kuwait fire adds an economic dimension that could influence oil prices and investor sentiment worldwide.

Monica Barbaro, known for her Oscar-nominated portrayal of activist Joan Baez in James Mangold's A Complete Unknown, is now preparing for her stage debut in the National Theatre's revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Barbaro, 35, will play Madame de Tourvel, a role previously taken on by notable actresses such as Juliet Stevenson and Michelle Pfeiffer.During an interview, Barbaro joked about her accent, saying, "I feel like I'm imitating an American accent, but it really is mine." She switches to an English accent for rehearsals, where she is working on the play's 18th-century French aristocracy setting. "I feel it's best to use my own voice," she explained.Barbaro expressed apprehension about speaking aloud in a theater for a large audience, a significant departure from her previous work in film. "Speaking aloud in a theatre for this big of an audience is new for me," she said.Her preparation for A Complete Unknown was intense, involving months of studying Baez's voice and music, learning guitar, and wearing prosthetic teeth to capture the singer's distinctive look. "We filmed it only a year and a half ago, and it was put out within months," she reflected. "It was really intense. It took a long time for me to land afterwards and feel more like myself again."Barbaro also discussed her connection to Baez, citing their shared mixed identity (Barbaro is a quarter Mexican) and Baez's activism. "I'm just like: 'Then she marched with Martin Luther King, are we clear on that? Do people know that?' It was really nice to hear from a lot of people who watched the movie that they were intrigued to find out more about her."She met Baez in person last year and described the experience as "so trippy." "It was so strange to hear in person the voice I'd been obsessing over for so long. There's a worship quality to it; I felt in complete awe of her," Barbaro said.Regarding her Oscar nomination, Barbaro called it "totally surreal" but something she tried to process in advance. "It seemed embarrassing to want it, or celebrate it, and I needed to confront that it was something I'd love to have. Then, when it happened – unbridled joy. It was a big shift for an actor who went into the film fangirling over the rest of the cast and the director."Barbaro is currently rehearsing for Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre, where she will work with director Marianne Elliott. The play explores themes of power, corruption, and manipulation among the aristocracy, resonating with modern issues such as the Epstein files. "It was about the corruption of a certain class who could operate with impunity, and fuck over anyone they wanted," she said.Barbaro reflected on the enduring power of the play, saying, "As a modern woman with autonomy and independence, the thing I fear most in the world is dying of heartbreak." She emphasized the relevance of the play's themes, particularly systemic abuse and corruption.

As the final minutes ticked away at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday, even the stray yellow balloons seemed to mock Arsenal’s faltering performance.Despite a season that once promised an unprecedented English quadruple, the Gunners have now suffered six consecutive losses, including a Carabao Cup final defeat and an FA Cup exit at Southampton. The double blow has turned a potential historic haul into a looming “quad‑lapse”.Two weeks later, a home loss to Bournemouth followed by a defeat at Manchester City’s Etihad has erased the nine‑point cushion Arsenal once enjoyed at the top of the league. With only 16 games left in the campaign, the club teeters between a title challenge and a mid‑season collapse.Arturial optimism remains, however. The manager’s emphasis on a cohesive, system‑based approach still gives Arsenal a realistic shot at the Premier League crown, even if the broader quadruple dream appears increasingly distant.What makes this season noteworthy is the sheer difficulty of competing on multiple fronts without the financial firepower of a “galactico” squad. Arsenal’s progress underscores that building a balanced, strategically disciplined team can still challenge the traditional spend‑and‑win model.Yet the narrative surrounding Arsenal’s struggles is amplified by the cultural appetite for drama. In today’s social‑media‑driven landscape, each stumble is dissected in slow‑motion, feeding a collective schadenfreude that often eclipses genuine appreciation for the club’s achievements.Arteta’s weekly press conferences have become iconic, his frustration palpable as he urges his side to “win the Champions League because we’ve thrown it away”. This raw emotion, amplified across platforms, reflects both the pressure on the manager and the public’s fascination with the club’s roller‑coaster journey.From a tactical standpoint, Arsenal’s current dilemma lies in a lack of creativity when opponents neutralise their prescribed patterns. Despite leading the league, the team ranks fourth in chances created from open play after 31 matches, and the figure has slipped further in recent weeks.Key attacking statistics highlight the problem: Gabriel Martinelli has not scored in the Premier League since September 2025; Noni Madueke has one league goal since January; Gabriel Jesus, Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard, Martin Ødegaard, and Kai Havertz are all goalless; and Bukayo Saka has managed only three league goals since November. These numbers illustrate a broader creative entropy that hampers Arsenal’s ability to break down well‑organised defenses.The team’s attacking blueprint—characterised by lateral passing, pre‑programmed overloads and a reliance on set patterns—has become predictable. Without the dynamism of players like Saka or the emerging spark of 16‑year‑old Eze, Arsenal lack the spontaneity needed to unlock stubborn opponents.Comparisons with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are inevitable. While Guardiola’s philosophy also hinges on possession and positional control, his side integrates moments of individual flair and improvisation, a balance Arsenal’s current iteration seems to miss. Critics have dubbed Arteta’s approach a “ChatGPT‑style Guardiola‑ism”: technically flawless yet devoid of the human edge that makes football unpredictable.Nevertheless, the squad’s underlying talent and the progress made this season should not be dismissed. If Arteta can re‑inject creativity and adapt his system to the evolving challenges, Arsenal remain well‑placed to contest the league title, even as rivals like City continue to demonstrate both brilliance and vulnerability.

The former boss of the Co-op collected almost £2m before her sudden departure last month despite a difficult year when the retailer was pushed into the red by a damaging cyber hack.Shirine Khoury-Haq’s total annual pay package amounted to £1.9m in 2025, including a £165,000 “rewarding growth” bonus that was approved by the mutual’s board despite falling sales and the slide to an underlying loss of £125m.Khoury-Haq and other executives did not receive their regular annual bonus as the board said the company had not met an “affordability underpin” to make the payout. However, Khoury-Haq’s total pay did include a long-term performance bonus linked to earlier years.In the Co-op Group’s annual report, the remuneration committee said it had decided to pay out 10% of the three-year potential total for the new “rewarding growth” incentive plan, which goes to all staff. Full-time, frontline workers, such as shop floor staff, who were employed for all of 2025 received £100 each under the scheme.The report did not say if Khoury-Haq would receive any compensation for loss of office on her departure but did make clear she would not receive any more from the “rewarding growth” scheme. Kate Allum, a board member and former boss of the dairy group First Milk, will step in as the interim chief executive while a permanent replacement is sought.Khoury-Haq’s departure after four years heading the company, and almost seven at the business, came a month after reports of concerns about the culture at the top of the group. Last week, Khoury-Haq denied that her resignation was linked to the allegations of a toxic culture. “My decision to leave was very much a personal decision,” she said. “The reason is I want to go and do something else.”