Following a tense weekend of missile exchanges and drone strikes that nearly shattered a precarious ceasefire, the United States and Iran have reached an agreement to temporarily halt hostilities.

Amid escalating tensions in the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, officials have indicated that both Washington and Tehran will refrain from further military actions for now.

This pause has sparked optimism that diplomatic efforts might prevent the latest crisis in the Middle East from escalating into a larger conflict.

A representative from the Trump administration informed CNN on Sunday that both nations have consented to cease current hostilities, stating, ‘Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely.’

However, Iran has yet to publicly acknowledge this arrangement, creating uncertainty about whether this fragile peace will endure.

According to another US official, American and Iranian representatives are now expected to meet in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday in an attempt to keep negotiations alive following one of the most dangerous flare-ups since the two countries signed their memorandum of understanding earlier this month.

The latest violence has severely tested that agreement, which was intended to freeze hostilities while negotiators worked toward a broader settlement over a 60-day period.

Earlier on Sunday, a senior US administration official insisted diplomatic efforts remained intact despite the military exchanges.

‘Nothing has been canceled. Technical talks regarding the implementation of MoU are on track for the coming days as planned, and deconfliction channels are up and running after the Lake Lucerne Summit,’ the official told CNN, referring to recent talks in Switzerland led on the American side by Vice President JD Vance. 

The MoU laid out a framework for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing certain financial restrictions on Iran and launching technical negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Those discussions are now proceeding under the shadow of fresh military confrontation.

President Donald Trump warned that the US was prepared to carry out additional military action if Iranian attacks continued, while Iran responded by warning that any further ceasefire violations would ‘result in the complete halt of all diplomatic processes.’

Despite the latest threats, US officials have sought to project confidence about America’s military position.

A US official told CNN that Iran’s latest wave of drone and missile attacks failed to inflict any damage on American forces or facilities in the region.

According to the official, ‘All drones and missiles launched by Iran were shot down, intercepted, or failed to reach their intended targets.’

The official added that there were no American injuries and no impacts on US locations.

‘To be clear, Iran failed,’ the official said.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had launched attacks against US military sites in neighboring countries, including Kuwait and Bahrain, after American strikes targeted Iranian sites over the weekend.

Those attacks marked the latest chapter in a series of military exchanges that have unfolded over recent days, repeatedly threatening to derail the diplomatic process before it has had a chance to gain momentum.

While the Trump administration now says both sides will ‘stand down for now,’ it remains unclear how long the pause will last or whether Tehran shares Washington’s assessment.

For now, officials say commercial vessels should be able to move freely through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes, although conditions on the water have yet to fully reflect the diplomatic breakthrough.

The broader negotiations also face additional pressure from events elsewhere in the region.

Iran has maintained that any permanent agreement with the United States must also include the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, where continued fighting involving Hezbollah has added another layer of complexity to already delicate peace efforts.

With negotiators preparing to reconvene in Qatar this week, the coming days could determine whether the latest ceasefire survives or whether the weekend’s exchange of fire becomes simply a pause before another round of confrontation.

On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces announced the demolition of an underground Hezbollah base located in Southern Lebanon. The complex, filled with hundreds of weapons and numerous rocket silos, was targeted and destroyed, as reported by the military.

The IDF’s statement highlighted that the subterranean facility was built with technology and expertise sourced from the Iranian terror network.

The significant military operation took place in the Majdal Zoun area, which lies about five miles north of the Israeli border within a security zone under IDF control. This action followed communications from Jerusalem to the United States, as confirmed by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.

In a combined statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz clarified, “Israel pre-briefed the United States, along with the American representative in Lebanon, about the plan to dismantle the infrastructure.”

Describing the scale of the tunnel, which extended over 200 meters (around 650 feet) in length and delved more than 25 meters (approximately 80 feet) deep, the officials pointed out it housed numerous weapons and multiple launch silos aimed at targeting the State of Israel and its population.

“IDF commanders and fighters will remain in the security zone in Southern Lebanon and will continue to destroy terrorist infrastructure, remove threats to northern communities and safeguard the security of Israel’s citizens,” the statement concluded.

Israel and Lebanon signed a US-brokered framework agreement on Friday aimed at removing Hezbollah from Southern Lebanon and dismantling “associated infrastructure” in the area.

Hezbollah renewed its rocket and drone attacks from Southern Lebanon on Israel on March 2, following the targeted killing in Tehran of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28.

In response, Jerusalem launched a broad aerial campaign against Hezbollah targets and expanded military operations in Lebanon aimed at preventing cross-border attacks on Israeli communities.

Following the resumption of hostilities, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun vowed to do “the impossible” to stop cross-border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, and moved to outlaw the Iranian proxy.

Israeli and Lebanese officials subsequently held five rounds of direct talks at the U.S. State Department in Washington, resulting in the framework of understandings that was reached on Friday and is conditioned on Hezbollah withdrawing from the south.

Katz said on Saturday that Jerusalem had instructed the IDF to prepare for a “prolonged stay” in the security zone in Southern Lebanon.

“The key principle established in the framework is that there will be no Israeli redeployment from Southern Lebanon, no withdrawal whatsoever, as long as the Hezbollah terrorist organization has not been disarmed throughout Lebanon, and the safety of northern residents is guaranteed,” he stated.

If you can’t defeat them, it might be wiser to join their ranks and then outsmart them.

This strategy was precisely what the FBI agent who managed to dismantle the New York Italian Mafia utilized in the early 2000s. He immersed himself in the Mafia’s culinary culture so thoroughly that nobody even thought to give him a pat-down for recording devices.

“I let myself indulge. I noticed that the more I consumed, the more the criminals took a liking to me, perceiving me as one of their own,” Jack Garcia, currently in his early 70s, shared exclusively with the Daily Mail.

Standing at 6 feet 4 inches, former Special Agent Joaquin ‘Jack’ Garcia began his 26-year tenure with the FBI at a weight of 240 pounds, largely operating undercover within various cartel activities throughout his career.

However, in 2002, Garcia embarked on his boldest mission yet—deeply infiltrating the notorious Gambino Crime Family under the alias ‘Jack Falcone’ for nearly three years, during which he added 160 pounds to his frame.

His work was instrumental in sending 32 Gambino members and associates to prison, including Mafia ‘captain’ Greg DePalma, whom Garcia brilliantly convinced into making him his personal driver and close confidant.

Garcia, a Cuban immigrant who came to New York as a child, had to leave his wife and daughter and abandon his home during his 28-month-long mission, all while assuming the identity of ‘Falcone,’ a third-generation Sicilian from Miami.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Garcia admitted his own love of food and the Mafia’s obsession with mixing business and eating helped him win over the hard-to-crack New York crime family.

Garcia was recruited for the Mafia assignment when a fellow agent asked him to help with a case at a Bronx strip club that was being targeted by Albanian gangsters. The FBI needed a mature, street-smart ‘knock-around guy’ who could blend in.

He entered the case by posing as an investor from Florida who was moving to New York and had been vouched for by the club owners, who were paying the mob for ‘protection’.

The Gambino crew, led by Gregory DePalma, was extorting money from the strip club, construction companies and many other businesses at the time.

García said that while Hollywood portrays the men carrying out these schemes as flashy businessmen, the truth was far darker.

‘These guys, some of them are psychopaths. These people are capable of one minute shaking your hand, the next minute killing you,’ Garcia said.

‘They always preach, “we’re men of honor.” They’re the furthest thing from men of honor. There’s always treachery involved; there’s deceit. You have to watch yourself.’

Once Garcia earned the trust of DePalma, whom he regularly saw at the Bronx club, the mob pushed the spy to infiltrate unions to get ‘no-show jobs,’ where mobsters were on the union payrolls but never had to report for any work.

The scheme granted medical benefits to each mobster’s family, while the Gambino family maintained control of the work on local construction sites.

During his undercover mission, Garcia discovered how the Mafia committed crimes such as rigging bids for construction contracts, skimming money from union payrolls by replacing workers with unskilled laborers and running gambling and loan-sharking operations.

Inside the mob, there were ‘earners’ who made money for the family and ‘brokesters’ who did not generate revenue and were used to commit the lowest of crimes, including killings and other violent offenses.

Garcia avoided being ordered to kill anyone by posing as a reliable earner, selling fake ‘stolen’ Rolex watches, TVs and furs – which were actually supplied by the FBI to maintain his cover.

‘We would go to the forfeiture unit of the FBI, where all the dirty businessmen and drug dealers, their Rolex, solid gold, stainless [steel], and we would keep their watches during forfeiture. Then I would get some, and I would go to Greg [DePalma] and go, “my guys made a score”.’

The veteran agent also used his weight as a shield, saying he was always prepared to tell his superiors in the mob that his obesity gave him a weak heart and killing someone would likely send him into cardiac arrest.

He added that the Mafia preferred earners because they brought in cash that flowed upward to the bosses, while brokesters and shooters were less valued family members, expendable if they were arrested by the police.

‘If you’re a money maker. Why, on heaven’s name, would they utilize you in a conspiracy to commit murder? That’s where these guys who are not earners come to play. Your earners, you don’t touch. Because you’re making money, and I was an earner,’ Garcia explained.

Despite the stereotype of gangsters constantly looking for wires, Garcia said he was never searched for microphones, and he wore one to every meeting he had with the mob for three years.

He explained that mob members knew that if they patted him down and found nothing, it would destroy the trust he had established as a value earner for the family. At the same time, if they found something, the relationship would be over anyway.

To keep his cover, Garcia lived in his own undercover apartment with his own car and fake ID, sometimes going months without seeing his family because of the real fear that DePalma or another Gambino boss would call on him at all hours of the night.

While Garcia and other federal officers tied to the operation felt they were close to bringing down other mob families throughout the US, including in Philadelphia and Kansas City, the historic undercover operation came to a shocking end in 2005.

FBI management decided to prematurely shut it down, even though Garcia was about to be proposed as a ‘made’ man, which would have made him an official member of the Gambino Crime Family.

‘There was no reason, nobody suspected me to be anything else but Jack Falcone. I was being proposed to get made. It was just a poor management decision that I felt, as well as the United States attorneys who were involved in the case, were very livid as to why they were ending this case,’ Garcia recalled. 

The case still resulted in the arrest of 32 Gambino members and associates, most of whom pled guilty, thanks to the extensive evidence Garcia gathered.

DePalma went to trial and was convicted on more than two dozen counts of racketeering and extortion; he was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison and died in custody in 2009.

Acting boss Arnold ‘Zeke’ Squitieri and acting underboss Anthony ‘The Genius’ Megale were also convicted on racketeering charges related to extortion and other crimes.

After his real identity was finally revealed to the Gambino Crime Family at trial, Garcia said he learned that the mob had allegedly placed a $250,000 contract on his life. However, Garcia said he never feared for his safety after the operation.

‘The Bureau gives you whatever you need in order to make it successful. I had some amazing people who just made sure that I made it home all right.’

In 2024, Garcia was celebrated as the FBI’s Distinguished Service Honoree at the G-Man Honors Dinner, an annual gala to recognize the service and sacrifice of FBI personnel.

Former FBI Director Christopher Wray said at the gala: ‘You could say Jack’s career is the stuff of legend, but it’s better than that because it’s actually true.’

‘In fact, Jack was so good at fooling the mob that at one point they considered inducting him into the family. Now, that’s commitment to the job.’

Australia is gearing up to impose heftier penalties on social media giants like Facebook and Instagram. The move to double potential fines comes amid criticism that the country’s pioneering ban on social media accounts for those under 16 has not been successful.

On Monday, Communications Minister Anika Wells pointed the finger at these platforms, citing their resistance to enforcing age restrictions as the primary reason for the needed escalation in legal measures, which originally took effect on December 10.

“We can all agree we would like the scheme to work better than it is currently, but that is on Big Tech taking the Mickey,” Wells expressed to the Australian Broadcasting Corp., referencing an Australian slang term that means to deceive, tease, or mock.

The government declared on Sunday that it plans to introduce draft legislation to Parliament that week, aiming to raise the maximum fine to 99 million Australian dollars ($68 million) for platforms that do not make a concerted effort to prevent Australian minors from maintaining accounts.

The proposed amendments would also empower eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who oversees Australia’s online safety, with more authority to request information and documents. This step is intended to ensure that platforms are adhering to Australian law, as noted in a government statement.

The new powers would also include information from third parties, such as age assurance technology providers, to test claims made by the platforms about how those under 16 continued to circumvent the ban, the statement said.

Senior opposition lawmaker Jane Hume said her party would consider voting for the reforms, saying the “social media ban wasn’t working” because of deficient laws.

“The legislation was clearly undercooked in the first place. The eSafety Commissioner wasn’t given the powers to be able to pursue these Big Tech companies,” Hume said.

Parliament passed the initial legislation with overwhelming support in 2024. The targeted platforms were given more than 12 months to plan to implement the ban.

Many countries who have implemented or are planning similar restrictions have been closely watching progress of Australia’s ban.

The government initially reported more than 5 million children had accounts removed, deactivated or restricted after the ban became law.

But eSafety reported in March that seven in 10 children who held accounts on restricted platforms on Dec. 10 remained on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok.

Inman Grant said in April she was considering court action against those platforms and YouTube, alleging they were not taking reasonable steps to exclude children.

She had been satisfied with progress made by the remaining restricted platforms: X, Kick, Reddit, Threads and Twitch.

Wells said she had received monthly updates from eSafety since March and “we are not seeing improvements.”

“These (draft) changes ensure that the eSafety Commissioner has the tools and powers she needs to hold platforms to account and we’re making sure that she can do just that,” Wells said.

The mother of a British social media star implicated in the fatal stabbing of her boyfriend in Dubai has shared the details of their desperate phone conversation just hours before the incident. She is appealing to the authorities to spare her daughter from execution by firing squad.

At 23, Brooke George claims she was enticed to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 26-year-old William Treeby, who promised her an opulent lifestyle and a modeling career but then retained her passport.

Hailing from Gravesend in Kent, Ms. George asserts that Mr. Treeby became aggressive towards her after she arranged flights back to the UK, allegedly forcing her to use a kitchen knife in self-defense.

Once a John Lewis employee, now turned influencer, she was apprehended on Monday as she attempted to catch a flight to London.

Following this, Ms. George has been accused of murder in Dubai, where she potentially faces the death penalty through a firing squad.

However, even if she is not sentenced to death, a life sentence for the murder would offer no prospect of parole.

Her mother, 55-year-old Tess George has since told that her daughter was ‘terrified’ when she called home from the UAE in the hours preceding Treeby’s death.

Mrs George also said her daughter has not been given access to a lawyer following her arrest and has spent days crowded into a ten-woman police station cell.

Mum-of-six Mrs George said her daughter first started chatting with Mr Treeby – who lived in Dubai – online in April this year.

Within weeks, Mr Treeby had introduced Ms George to family members in England before flying her out to Dubai to visit him for the first time.

Ms George, who has more than 100,000 followers on TikTok, went to the UAE at the end of May where she spent approximately two-and-a-half weeks with Mr Treeby, who took her to high-end restaurants and luxury beach clubs.

Mrs George recalls her daughter believing Mr Treeby to be the man of her ‘dreams,’ and planned to visit him in Dubai again only one week later.

It was then, when Ms George returned to Dubai, that her mother said things between her and Mr Treeby went wrong – and she received a worrying phone call.

Ms George had called her mother from a bar in the city, where Mrs George described her as ‘petrified’ and ‘absolutely terrified’.

She said her daughter was uncontrollably sobbing and expressed a desire to return to Britain because she was ‘scared’.

Mrs George told The Sun: ‘The day before the incident, she wasn’t herself. She was quieter than usual but wouldn’t tell me why. That evening they went to a bar in Dubai. When I spoke to Brooke right after the incident, she was absolutely terrified.

‘I have never seen my daughter so frightened. She was crying uncontrollably. I could see one of her eyes was badly swollen and beginning to close.

‘As Brooke’s mother, I am deeply concerned for her welfare. The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified. I firmly believe she was trying desperately to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.’

Ms George claims Mr Treeby assaulted her in a car after a night out at Caffreys Bar in Jumeirah Village before continuing the attack at his flat.

They had returned to his apartment to retrieve her passport when the fatal stabbing occurred.

However, after arriving at the airport, Ms George was detained by security staff who noted the injuries she had sustained in the confrontation.

Mrs George said that her family have since contacted lawyers in Dubai and are fundraising to cover the high costs.

Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, is supporting Ms George – but said she may face a firing squad if convicted.

She said Ms George’s case highlights a disturbing pattern of young British women being brought to Dubai with promises of romance and luxury, only to be exploited – sometimes sexually.

Ms Stirling said: ‘Authorities must treat her as a domestic violence survivor while they investigate. Brooke maintains she acted in genuine fear for her safety after a violent assault.

‘We will ensure her rights are protected and that she receives a fair trial.’

Ms George is believed to be kept at the Bur Dubai police station and should be granted bail by authorities in the emirate.

Her family claim she was forced to strip naked in front of male officers and could not understand proceedings due to a language barrier.

Mr Treeby’s family, writing on social media, have said they are ‘heartbroken’ by his death.

His sister Esther wrote: ‘He was not only my brother but my best friend. I love you, my Bill. Forever 26.’

His mother Karen added: ‘My darling son, I’m broken. Rest in forever peace, my Bill. You will be so missed and loved by us all. We will never forget you and will keep your memory alive always.’

The Foreign Office said: ‘We are in touch with a British woman detained in the UAE. We are supporting her family and are in contact with the local authorities.’

CHICAGO (WLS) — Enthusiasts from all age groups flocked to Gallagher Way on Sunday to participate in a lively tennis event that was open to the community at no cost.

Among the players, 10-year-old Mara Bowman and her cousins enjoyed a day of sporty fun and family bonding on the court.

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“Tennis is such an enjoyable sport, and it really helps you reach your goals,” Mara Bowman shared with enthusiasm.

This marked the fourth year of the Wimbledon in Chicago celebration, an event cherished by locals.

Monir Hachem, one of the attendees, remarked, “We came because we live nearby, we love tennis, we have young kids to keep entertained, and it’s simply a beautiful day at Wrigley Field.”

“It helps me make new friends like when you’re training. You might see other people and nearby tennis court, and you can say, like, ‘Hi,'” said Hugo Hachem.

The open-style activity was in the shadow of Wrigley Field a day before the storied tournament takes place in London. David Bowman, 8, doesn’t have a prediction about who will win all, but just loves the sport.

“You got to get to work as a team to achieve yourself,” he said.

It happened in partnership with the United States Tennis Association Midwest Chicago. The effort hoped to break down the common misconceptions about tennis while encouraging people to be active and connect with others.

“We just want to introduce tennis to everyone. It’s a great sport. We want to make it really accessible, and this is a free event to come out and give it a try,” said United States Tennis Association Midwest Chicago Executive Director Jill Siegel.

The event not only featured mini tennis games and other activities along with food, but also a trivia contest. Prizes were awarded to the top teams, and there was even a chance to win a trip to the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament.

Organizers say they hope events like this one will get people interested in the sport of tennis but also get neighbors to get involved in their communities.