In a notable phone call, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian extended his congratulations to Hamas on the election of their new political chief, reaffirming Tehran’s unwavering support for the group. As President Donald Trump advances a significant agreement aimed at disarming Hamas and reducing its influence in Gaza, this show of solidarity underscores continued regional tensions.

The freshly appointed head of Hamas’ political bureau, Khalil al-Hayya, received Pezeshkian’s affirmation of Iran’s enduring support for the Palestinian cause. This message was conveyed in a Hamas statement, originally issued in Arabic, which was subsequently examined by various news outlets.

During the call, Pezeshkian emphasized, “We are with you, and we support you in every action you take, despite the attacks we are facing,” as recounted by Hamas in their report of the conversation.

In response to this development, efforts have been made to obtain confirmation from Iran’s mission to the United Nations regarding the exchange, including a request for an official statement about the phone call.

The reported conversation highlighted a central contradiction confronting Trump’s Gaza initiative: While the White House is presenting the roadmap as a landmark agreement to remove Hamas from power and secure its weapons, Iran — the group’s longtime military and financial patron — was simultaneously reaffirming its support for Hamas and its new leader. Tehran’s backing raises fresh questions about whether Hamas is prepared to surrender the arsenal at the core of its power and how the Board of Peace could enforce disarmament against a group that continues to receive political support from one of Washington’s principal regional adversaries.

Trump in recent days announced what he called a “HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups,” presenting it as a breakthrough after nearly three years of war. The stakes extend far beyond the wording of the deal: Hamas’ weapons remain the central obstacle to rebuilding Gaza, and the agreement will test whether Trump’s Board of Peace can enforce a postwar transition or whether Hamas will exploit the process to survive, regroup and retain power.

At the center of the effort is Trump’s Board of Peace, the president’s handpicked vehicle for implementing his Gaza policy and potentially extending his approach to other global conflicts. Trump chairs the board, whose executive leadership includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The White House says the board will oversee Gaza’s transition, mobilize reconstruction funding and hold the parties accountable.

But the tensions intensified Monday also on the Israeli side, when Nickolay Mladenov, Board of Peace director-general and high representative for Gaza, and board advisor Aryeh Lightstone met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and urged Israel to halt its attacks in Gaza.

Israel appeared to reject the board’s two central demands shortly afterward.

“Israel will not withdraw from its current line in the Gaza Strip and will continue to thwart any threat to our civilians and soldiers,” an Israeli political official said. The statement amounted to a rejection, at least for now, of demands that Israel return to the “yellow line” and halt targeted strikes in Gaza.

A Board of Peace official declined to discuss the meeting but said the body remained focused on carrying out the roadmap.

“We are focused on implementation,” the official told News Media. “We have provided a pragmatic path forward to transform Gaza by removing Hamas from power and seeing it hand over its weapons. These steps would undoubtedly allow for the improvement of life in Gaza and enhancement of security in Israel. We remain determined to advance these objectives.”

Meanwhile, the Hamas terrorist group says it has agreed only to a phased and conditional process involving the storage of weapons after Israel stops its attacks, withdraws its forces and allows more aid into Gaza. Hamas has avoided the word “disarmament” in its statements and insists its weapons would remain under Palestinian control rather than being surrendered to Israel or an international force.

The board’s 15-point roadmap calls for Hamas to transfer Gaza’s civilian government and security responsibilities to a Palestinian technocratic body known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza. Hamas-run police would surrender their weapons to the committee, while heavy weapons, military production sites, weapons depots and tunnels would be addressed later through a phased decommissioning process linked to an Israeli withdrawal.

The intended endpoint is that only the new Palestinian authority would possess or control weapons in Gaza. But the roadmap leaves unresolved who will enforce the process, what constitutes compliance and which side must act first.

Hamas’ disarmament remains a central obstacle to rebuilding Gaza. Trump has tied reconstruction to the group laying down its weapons, while The Associated Press reported that the Board of Peace had secured approximately $7 billion in pledges by February — a fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the devastated territory.

Moumen al-Natour, a Palestinian lawyer from Gaza and co-founder of the anti-Hamas “We Want to Live” movement, said civilians desperately want the agreement to succeed but do not trust Hamas to relinquish power.

“Civilian people inside Gaza Strip… want safety, want to stop this war, want a new government, want to be alive,” al-Natour told News Media.

But al-Natour, who previously was imprisoned by Hamas, warned that the group would use delays and violations to remain embedded in Gaza.

“I can’t trust Hamas because I know Hamas,” he said, arguing that the group had repeatedly arrested and killed Palestinians who opposed its rule. He said an international force of only a few hundred personnel would be unable to secure Gaza or prevent Hamas from intimidating residents and that a much larger force and a new Palestinian police structure would be required.

Drawing on a grassroots network of thousands of Gazan professionals who reject Hamas’ ideology, the “We Want to Live” movement is promoting its own plan to rebuild Gaza’s civil society and is calling for cooperation with the Board of Peace and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, the technocratic body tasked under the U.S.-backed transition plan with governing and rebuilding the enclave.

Al-Natour also proposed allowing civilians who want to escape Hamas-controlled areas to move into protected zones near the “yellow line” — the boundary separating Israeli-held territory from the rest of Gaza — where they could live under a new Palestinian administration backed by an international security force. He said the arrangement could provide Gazans with a safer alternative while a post-Hamas governing structure is established.

Michael Milstein, a former military intelligence officer in Israel and now head of the Palestinian Studies Centre at Tel Aviv University, said the compromise has been developing for months under pressure from Qatar, Turkey and Egypt.

Milstein said Hamas may be prepared to give up control of Gaza’s day-to-day government and accept restrictions on heavy weapons but is unlikely to abandon its armed organization completely.

Under the model Hamas appears to favor, Milstein said, a technocratic government and international forces would assume responsibility for public services and reconstruction while Hamas preserves its personnel, infrastructure and political influence — an arrangement resembling Hezbollah’s longtime position in Lebanon.

“There is a very, very low chance that Hamas will completely disarm,” Milstein told News Media, describing the roadmap as the kind of “gray area” Hamas has historically used to its advantage.

The Board of Peace also is pressing for an end to actions that could derail the plan. After Israeli strikes killed civilians and reportedly destroyed medical supplies over the weekend, Mladenov, the director-general of the Board of Peace, called for de-escalation but did not identify Israel by name.

“Two days of strikes across Gaza have killed civilians and destroyed medical supplies,” Mladenov wrote on X, adding that he was working with the parties and regional mediators to “create the space for the full implementation of the President’s plan.”

Israel, meanwhile, says it will not withdraw before Hamas genuinely disarms. Hamas says Israel must withdraw first.

The roadmap also faces resistance inside Israel’s government. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlements Minister Orit Strock urged Netanyahu on Monday to convene the security Cabinet immediately and block the international stabilization force from entering Gaza, according to Israel’s N12 news outlet.

In an urgent letter reported by N12 on Aug. 3, 2026, the ministers called the Board of Peace roadmap “dangerous to Israel” and argued that it contradicts Israel’s stated goals of disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza. They objected that weapons would be placed under the authority of a new Palestinian body rather than removed from Gaza or handed to Israel and that Israeli troops would begin withdrawing while the disarmament process was still underway.

The far-right ministers also argued that the international force would monitor the separation between Israeli troops and the new Palestinian administration rather than directly disarm Hamas. They demanded that Netanyahu prevent implementation until the roadmap is revised to require full demilitarization before an Israeli withdrawal. The letter underscores that the plan’s obstacles extend beyond Hamas: Influential members of Netanyahu’s coalition are also challenging its sequencing, enforcement and security provisions.

That leaves Trump’s proclaimed milestone resting on the same question that has stalled previous Gaza negotiations: whether Hamas is truly preparing to surrender the weapons that underpin its power — or merely buying time to ensure that it remains standing when the rebuilding begins.

In a bold move generating buzz among New York’s business elite, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has dismantled the advisory board of a prominent nonprofit responsible for channeling private sector donations to city initiatives.

The surprise decision came to light through a letter—accessed by Bloomberg News—in which Mamdani acknowledged the service of the departing members of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.

In an unprecedented shift, the fund also announced via email that it would dissolve its entire board, a dramatic step not seen across at least three previous mayoral administrations.

Expressing gratitude, Mamdani’s letter stated, “I commend you for your dedication and the benefit you have brought to our City as you conclude your tenure on the Mayor’s Fund Board of Advisors.”

The roster of departing advisors includes such prominent figures as Richard Born of BD Hotels, Jeffrey Gural, chairman of GFP Real Estate, Alex Katz, senior managing director at Blackstone Inc., Edward Skyler, Citigroup Inc.’s head of enterprise services and public affairs, and James Whelan, president of the Real Estate Board of New York.

The mayor’s office told Bloomberg it would be replacing the released board members later this year.

“The creation of a new advisory board is an important next step in reimagining how philanthropy can augment, but not replace, public dollars and public goods, and we are eager to share more about our new board of advisors later this year,” Mamdani senior advisor Dora Pekec told the outlet.

The fund, which had $16.4 million cash on hand according to its 2025 tax filing, championed fundraising efforts in part by leveraging relationships with New York’s business community to raise millions of dollars each year.

It’s raised hundreds of millions since its 1995 inception – including a staggering $107 million to support family members of rescue workers killed or injured in the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

During the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fund raised $54.5 million for an emergency relief fund that covered meals and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers.

But Mamdani started eroding the fund’s lucrative business connections as soon as he took office in April, appointing a former dockworker and a high school teacher to serve on the fund’s board of directors.

“In January, our city entered a new era – one that demands our city government reflect our communities,” Pekec said. “The building of a new Mayor’s Fund, built on the ethos of putting those directly impacted in the rooms where decisions are made, is a continuation of that work.”

The move is the continuation of an anti-business throughline in the Mamdani administration, which has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to spit in the face of big business and wealthy New Yorkers.

Emerging data from the latest climate models indicates that the Super El Niño phenomenon is intensifying beyond previous forecasts.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has announced that El Niño is projected to evolve steadily into a ‘strong’ climate event between August and October.

This robust climate occurrence is anticipated to cause a surge in global temperatures and dramatically alter rainfall patterns worldwide.

As numerous regions endure one of the hottest and driest summers in recorded history, experts caution that this situation may only be the preliminary phase.

The WMO forecasts that sea surface temperatures in critical areas will rise over 2.9°C (5.2°F) above typical seasonal levels.

El Niño events typically reach their peak between November and February, and have their strongest influence on global weather during the start of the following year.

This means we are only just starting to experience the effects of what experts are calling the strongest El Niño event in recorded history.

António Guterres, UN Secretary–General, says: ‘El Niño is strengthening – adding fuel to a planet already on fire with scorching heat domes, apocalyptic wildfires and record hot seas.’

El Niño and cooling La Niña events are part of a natural climate pattern called the El Niño Southern Oscillation.

In a normal year, the trade winds blow westwards across the Pacific, transporting warm water away from South America towards Australia and allowing colder water to well up along the coast.

But during the hot El Niño part of the cycle, these winds weaken or reverse, allowing warm water to build up in the tropical Pacific.

That concentration of warm water can raise the global average temperature and disrupt weather patterns on a global scale.

For the last few months, scientists have been watching with growing concern as these critical waters in the Pacific have warmed to record levels.

In July, sea surface temperatures exceeded 2.1°C (3.8°F) above average, but forecasts suggest that things are only going to get hotter.

To make matters worse, the WMO warns that El Niño has arrived alongside a climate phenomenon known as a positive Indian Ocean Dipole.

This is where the western Indian Ocean becomes warmer while the eastern part becomes cooler.

Together with El Niño, that temperature gradient amplifies climate risks, including droughts, floods, and wildfires – especially around the Indian Ocean.

But what does this mean for you?

El Niño only has an indirect effect on the UK’s weather, but global effects on this scale will have knock–on impacts.

WMO Secretary–General Celeste Saulo says: ‘This El Niño, developing against the backdrop of unprecedented ocean heat and rising temperatures, provides governments and communities with a window of opportunity to anticipate risks and act before impacts unfold.’

The most obvious consequence of a strengthening super El Niño is that the global temperature will be above average into next year.

El Niño isn’t caused by climate change, but this extra heating does combine with the warming already being caused by human factors.

That means temperatures are likely to hit extreme levels all around the world, with the biggest effects being felt in Southern Europe, Africa, East Asia, Central America, South America, New Zealand, and the Caribbean.

This will also have a big impact on rainfall patterns between August and October this year.

Parts of the world, including the Horn of Africa, western North America, and parts of Central Asia, will see much wetter conditions and considerable risk of flooding.

Meanwhile, Northern Europe, most of Australia, the Indian subcontinent, and southern Central America will see much lower rainfall than average.

That warning comes as many regions around the world grapple with extreme heat and devastating blazes.

In Europe, wildfires have raged across France and Spain, leading to the evacuation of over 330,000 people.

In the worst affected areas of France, over 162 square miles (42,000 hectares) of land has been destroyed – making it one of the largest forest fires since World War Two.

Likewise, the Met Office has now officially logged the driest July ever recorded in England and Wales.

Last month, England had just 6.5mm of rainfall across the entire month – that’s just 10 per cent of its long–term average and less than half the previous record of 13.4mm, set in 1911. 

Meanwhile, East Asia has been gripped by record–breaking heat, with South Korea asking people to cease all outdoor activity as temperatures hit 42.5°C (108.5°F) – the highest in 100 years of records.

Originally constructed over two millennia ago, Solomon’s Pools played a vital role in providing water to Jerusalem. Today, they are at the heart of a political conflict, with authorities from Efrat, a nearby Israeli town, accusing the Palestinian Authority of neglecting the site after it fell under Ramallah’s control post the 1993 Oslo Accords.

Archaeologists largely believe that the construction of these ancient reservoirs, located between Efrat and Bethlehem, dates back to the Hasmonean period in the second century B.C. They were pivotal in supplying water to Jerusalem during the Second Temple era. Herod the Great later expanded this water system to cater to his palace-fortress in Herodium.

“Solomon’s Pools represent not only the historical legacy of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel but also a critical resource for Jerusalem’s water supply,” stated Dovi Shefler, mayor of Efrat. He emphasized their importance in maintaining Efrat’s development, asserting sovereignty, and nurturing tourism across various religions in the area stretching from Jerusalem to Hebron.

The three reservoirs collectively hold approximately 288,000 cubic meters of water, or more than 10 million cubic feet. They are fed by the Arrub and el-Biyar aqueducts, which, together with rainwater, historically supplied Jerusalem with water year-round. During the British Mandate, the pools underwent significant renovations and became known as “Jerusalem’s beach” until the Oslo Accords.

Under the agreements, the West Bank was divided into Areas A, B and C. Solomon’s Pools are located in Area A, which falls under Palestinian civil and security control.

Yonatan Marcus, chief of staff of the Efrat Municipality, told News Media that during the negotiations, then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin maintained that the pools would remain under Israeli control, alongside other archaeological sites of major Judeo-Christian significance such as Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem.

However, during the mapping process, he said, the words “Solomon’s Pools” remained within Area C on zoomed-out maps, while the reservoirs themselves ultimately mistakenly fell inside Area A.

Marcus said under Palestinian Authority control, things changed for the worse. “When you visit today, you can see that the place is neglected. Much of it has been destroyed. There are signs everywhere in Arabic stating that swimming is not permitted because the pools are filled with sewage water,” he said.

He added that the sewage contamination was not natural, with wastewater deliberately diverted into the pools, replacing the fresh water that flowed there until the Oslo Accords. He said this occurred despite the PLO’s commitment under the agreement to protect historical sites in Area A.

“Our main goal is to protect these magnificent pools. It’s not just about Jewish history; it’s about Judeo-Christian history and whoever believes in the people of the Bible who walked here,” he said.

He described the reservoirs as the largest archaeological pools in Israel, saying they occupy a strategic location between the Western Wall and the Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs along Route 60, known as the Biblical Highway.

Although the pools are located in Area A, Marcus said visits by Israelis take place only on coordinated tours secured by the IDF’s Judea and Samaria Division, as permitted under the Oslo Accords.

He noted that visits by Israeli officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have prompted improvements, saying the Palestinian Authority removed about 200 bags of garbage from the site following years of neglect.

“If the pressure of our coming here is going to make them take care of the site, then wonderful. In the end, our goal is for it to be preserved,” he said.

Ahmad Fattouh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction, rejected the allegations.

“It’s absolutely audacious that the leadership of the colonial settlement of Efrat claims to be concerned about the condition of Burak Sulaymān’s pools when they are the very reason behind its declining water levels,” Fattouh told News Media. He said Israeli locals diverted the springs that feed the pools and argued that the Palestinian Authority has restored the site and developed it as a tourist destination.

Fattouh also accused Israeli officials of using the issue to justify taking control of the site, saying Smotrich’s visit showed that the pools were not completely dry, contrary to claims by Efrat officials.

Yishai Fleisher, international spokesman for Hebron, said the pools are akin to rediscovering a lost part of the Jewish Temple, as they supplied Jerusalem with water for some 2,000 years.

He said preserving the site begins with attracting visitors, producing educational videos, improving access along the new road from northern Efrat, hosting senior Israeli officials and establishing a permanent presence with cameras, patrols and farms.

“Since the story started breaking, the P.A. is trying to build a mosque there. The goal of the P.A. is to stop Israeli presence in Judea and Samaria and the Land of Israel. They are not about developing anything for its own sake,” Fleisher claimed to News Media.

Fleisher, who is an influential voice among the Israeli right, called for a radical change in policy. “What we really have to do is dismantle the P.A. and assert sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. In the meantime, the line should be redrawn so that Solomon’s Pools, which are essentially archaeological sites, are placed under Israeli control in Area C,” he said.

During an electrifying concert on Monday evening, Ariana Grande took a moment to address her audience and shed light on her decision to step back from the public eye after the conclusion of her “Eternal Sunshine” tour.

“Can we get a little real tonight?” Ariana asked the crowd at the Chicago performance, as captured in a video that’s making waves across social media platforms like X.

In a heartfelt four-minute speech, which she had thoughtfully composed on her phone, the 33-year-old megastar clarified that the announcement made the previous day was far from being a knee-jerk reaction. Instead, it had been exaggerated by online speculation.

Expanding on her decision, the singer-actress shared that it was a carefully considered, empowering choice she had made quietly some time ago, dismissing the narrative that it was influenced by recent events.

She firmly debunked rumors swirling around, stating that negativity on the internet isn’t affecting her well-being or decisions, putting such assumptions firmly to rest.

“No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or not as real to me as this love that we share,” Grande insisted, dubbing the tour “one of the most healing, beautiful, correct and special experiences” she’s ever had.

“That felt good,” the “Wicked” star concluded said before resuming the United Center performance. “I wish that words were enough to articulate how much I love you.”

Over the weekend, Grande’s rep announced that the Grammy winner will be “taking a step back from visibility” when her “Eternal Sunshine” tour wraps.

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” the spokesperson explained, referencing online chatter regarding Grande’s weight following the release of her “Petal” music video.

“This tour has been a beautiful experience for her,” the statement continued. “She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

Page Six exclusively reported that Grande is bowing out because “she’s been overworked.”

We hear, “She’s been nonstop and it’s taking a toll. She’s never handled the public scrutiny well and constant chatter about her weight [doesn’t help].”

A second insider told us Grande is taking a break because she was hurt by the “nonstop public scrutiny” more than a heavy work schedule.

The “Thank U, Next” hitmaker had been set to star in the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George” opposite her “Wicked” co-star Jonathan Bailey next summer, but has now pulled out.

The musical’s producers acknowledged her withdrawal via social media on Sunday.

“Following this evening’s announcement from Ariana Grande’s team, we can confirm that she has decided to step back from ‘Sunday in the Park with George,’” read a statement shared by the musical’s official X account. “We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support.”

The former Nickelodeon star has previously hit back at chatter around her body.

In her song “Yes, And?” off her 2024 album Eternal Sunshine, Grande sings, “My face is sitting, I don’t need no disguise / Don’t comment on my body, do not reply / Your business is yours, and mine is mine.”

Her decision to “step back” comes on the heels of Grande’s split from ex-boyfriend Ethan Slater after three years of dating.

Last month, Page Six confirmed she is back together with her ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez.

On a Friday night, the spotlight was on Ariana Grande as she graced the stage at Montreal’s Bell Centre. Clad in a flowing white dress that accentuated her ethereal presence, Grande moved with a touch of stiffness, yet her enchanting voice resonated powerfully throughout the arena.

As she captivated the audience with hits ranging from “Into You” to “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Grande showcased her extraordinary four-octave vocal range, a testament to the talent that first captured hearts during her Broadway beginnings in her teenage years.

That initial success paved the way for greater recognition on “Victorious,” a hit Nickelodeon sitcom that helped launch Grande into stardom.

As the former child star took her final bow in Canada, marking another stop on her demanding Eternal Sunshine Tour, there seemed to be no indication of the career-defining decision she would soon make, one that would generate headlines globally 48 hours later.

Just hours preceding the Montreal concert, Grande released the music video for her latest single “Petal.” The video quickly stirred conversations due to its provocative ending, where Grande wields a chainsaw against dismissive male music executives, drenched in blood in a scene evocative of a horror film.

However, although the Petal video swiftly racked up millions of views, the reaction focused almost entirely on her strikingly slender physique.

‘At this point, I’m judging her team, friends and family,’ said one viewer, whose comment was ‘liked’ by 62,000 people. Another added: ‘She is surrounded by enablers.’

On Instagram, where Grande boasts 363 million followers, she uploaded a series of recent photos. Some were quickly presented with a ‘community note’ from other users attached to the post warning about eating disorders and urging anyone struggling with one to ‘seek help’.

The British actress and Left-wing activist Jameela Jamil – who has survived an eating disorder herself – also commented online, claiming that Grande was ‘possibly dying in front of us’ and wondered why her team had chosen to release such a ‘damaging image for young fans’. Jamil later deleted her crass remark, but insisted: ‘My point stands. This is deeply irresponsible.’

Finally, as the row approached a crescendo on Sunday night, Ariana’s team sensationally announced that she would be pulling out of a London stage production that was tipped to be one of the biggest Theatreland has ever seen.

Her spokesman told People magazine that Grande would ‘be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour’, adding: ‘She looks forward to . . . taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.’

So what exactly is going on – and should her army of fans be worried? Earlier this year it was revealed that the 33-year-old would be starring opposite Jonathan Bailey in a Barbican production of Sunday In The Park with George: Stephen Sondheim’s legendary 1984 musical about the 19th-century French painter Georges Seurat and his mistress Dot.

Her casting had been a major coup for producers – and a triumph for the London venue.

Grande and Bailey were, of course, two stars of the Wicked films, by far the most successful cinematic adaptations of Broadway musicals ever, grossing more than $750million at the box office and garnering ten Oscar nominations (including one for Grande as Best Supporting Actress).

Yet on Sunday, Empire Street Productions, the company producing Sunday at the Park with George, was told that Grande was quitting the production less than an hour before her team released their own statement. This meant that the Barbican had to scramble to get ahead of the story.

Last night, one source connected to the production told the Daily Mail that Grande’s decision was ‘mind-bending’, adding: ‘It all unfolded rapidly after the release of her music video sparked more backlash about her appearance.

‘There have been ongoing discussions [about the production] because there was a lot of [online discussion] around Ariana, but she was excited to do this show and rehearsals don’t start until 2027.

‘The Barbican was informed at 8pm on Sunday. It was all very sudden and has left them in a terrible mess. It is their most expensive theatrical project ever, and all involved are absolutely gutted. They feel for Ariana . . . There were promotion plans in place, with magazine covers lined up. But in any theatre production, you have to consider something like this could happen.’

Her co-star Bailey, 38, is believed to remain ‘committed to the show’ in the title role. ‘He was always the key player in this: Ariana wanted the role of Dot alongside him,’ added our source. ‘Jonathan and Ariana were excited to do it together. They have become incredibly close. It wouldn’t surprise me if Jonathan had found out before the Barbican did.’

Publicly, the show’s producers said: ‘We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and [Ariana] makes it with our complete understanding and support. We wish her nothing but the best.’ They added that the production will open as planned next summer, with tickets going on sale next month.

As the Daily Mail went to press last night, Grande was due to perform at Chicago’s United Centre for the first of three concerts there, before moving to London’s O2 Arena for her tour’s final ten shows from August 15 to September 1.

Despite rumours swirling online yesterday that she may yet cancel those British dates, sources close to the singer have insisted to the Daily Mail that there are no plans to do so – although they are preparing for ‘intense scrutiny on the tour’. (Industry insiders noted that if Ariana were to cancel her remaining dates, she would lose significant revenue and face high costs.)

Yesterday, Grande put a brave face on events, writing online: ‘See you tonight, Chicago.’

But if she’s hoping for a rest after the tour, she may not be able to enjoy it for long. Grande is due to promote her new film, Focker-In-Law, in which she stars alongside Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro in the latest instalment of the Meet The Fockers series, which is due for release on November 25. She’ll be expected to appear on the red carpet repeatedly for weeks.

Of course, speculation around Grande’s appearance – some concerned, some prurient and some simply cruel – has dogged her for a long time. While Ariana herself has always publicly insisted that she is perfectly healthy, and has never directly addressed concerns about her dramatic weight loss, that hasn’t stopped worried fans from pointing out how gaunt she has appeared in recent years.

In April 2023, she addressed the speculation publicly with a post on TikTok, saying: ‘I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies,’ adding it was hard ‘to be paid this close attention to [sic]’.

She added that when people were comparing how she then looked to previous images, those earlier pictures were in fact ‘the unhealthiest version of my body . . . I was on a lot of antidepressants, and drinking on them, and eating poorly . . . [I was] at the lowest points of my life when I looked the way you consider “my healthy”, but that in fact wasn’t my healthy.’

The following year, in her song Yes, And?, Grande again addressed the scrutiny over her appearance, singing: ‘Don’t comment on my body, do not reply. Your business is yours and mine is mine. Why do you care so much . . . Why?’

The same year, during her Wicked press tour, she spoke about the subject in detail, saying: ‘I’ve been doing this in front of the public and been a specimen in a petri dish, really, since I was 16 or 17.’

Certainly, she is far from the first former child star to have experienced a troubled adulthood. But by anyone’s standards, Grande has suffered a series of truly tragic events in her personal and private life over the past decade or so.

First, of course, there was the horrific suicide bombing of her Manchester Arena concert by an Islamist in 2017. Salman Abedi, of Libyan descent, murdered 22 people, many of them children, and injured more than 1,000 others.

Inevitably, the atrocity deeply affected Grande, who said she was ‘broken’ and couldn’t find the words to describe how devastated she felt at the time.

A year after the attack, she said: ‘People are permanently affected by this stuff. It changes everything.’ She added that she was coping with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Many lesser artists would have retired then and there – and she hardly needs the money, being worth around £200million – but Grande bravely organised the benefit concert One Love Manchester to support victims and their families.

Then, in 2018 – just a year after the Manchester attack – her rapper boyfriend Mac Miller, another child star who had burst on to the music scene as a 15-year-old, died from an accidental drug overdose. He was just 26. Grande had first met him when she was 19, and the pair were together for almost two years, breaking up some four months before he died.

‘I can’t believe you’re not here any more,’ she wrote online at the time. ‘I don’t know what to do. You were my dearest friend.’ In an interview the following year, she said her grief over his death was ‘pretty all-consuming’.

Shortly afterwards, she embarked on a brief, whirlwind relationship with actor and comedian Pete Davidson – a former boyfriend of Kim Kardashian – with the couple getting matching tattoos. Davidson presented her with a $93,000 engagement ring, and the couple even bought a pet pig together, named Piggie Smalls – before they broke off the engagement after spending just five months together.

Grande went on to find brief happiness with Dalton Gomez, an estate agent for luxury properties, whom she married in 2021. However, their divorce was finalised three years later.

She also had a near-three-year relationship with actor Ethan Slater while filming Wicked, before they split up this summer. Slater is thought to have left his ex-wife and newborn baby after meeting the star.

But if her love life has been turbulent, her career has only gone from strength to strength. Grande’s debut album, 2013’s Yours Truly, was an instant hit, and she went on to achieve global chart success with Dangerous Woman and Thank U, Next.

She pushed herself even further by moving back into acting, relaunching that side of her career with Wicked in 2024 – a role that took an emotional and physical toll. Intensive rehearsal schedules, singing live and performing stunts alongside British co-star Cynthia Erivo were all-consuming.

In January this year, Grande admitted a career break ‘would be healthy’, telling Vogue Japan: ‘These past few years have been pretty non-stop. And by few, I mean 15.’ She added that she was searching for more ‘balance’ in the years to come.

All her fans desperately hope she finds it. And as she readies herself to take to the London stage next week, many will be praying she gets the rest she clearly needs.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Dog owners in Roscoe Village express concerns that the recent redesign of the dog-friendly area at Hamlin Park is causing injuries, which is deterring visits to the park.

According to local residents, the newly introduced asphalt-and-gravel surface has sparked worries about both safety and practicality. Meanwhile, officials from the Chicago Park District explain that the renovations aimed to enhance the park’s accessibility, maintenance, and drainage.

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“Afternoons used to see this park buzzing with people, but now it’s almost deserted,” mentioned dog owner Cassidy Kulhanek.

Regular visitors to Hamlin Park’s dog area are voicing that the revamp has not benefitted their furry friends as anticipated.

“I actually believe the situation has worsened since the renovations began,” shared Sylvia Snow, another concerned dog owner.

The park district said the dog-friendly area near Hoyne and Wellington was redesigned to improve accessibility, maintenance and drainage, replacing its previous pea gravel surface with an asphalt-and-gravel design.

According to the park district, the previous dog area consisted primarily of pea gravel, which migrated onto adjacent sidewalks and did not provide an accessible or durable circulation route. The updated design introduced asphalt walkways and gathering areas while retaining pea gravel in designated dog activity areas.

The park district said the hybrid design was intended to create a stable, lower-maintenance surface for users while improving accessibility, better defining circulation patterns and extending the service life of the facility. The park district said it also preserved permeable areas to support drainage.

Snow said she was immediately concerned about the new surface material.

“I was concerned immediately about the surface, the dark surface, that in the summertime it’s going to be too hot for the paws,” Snow said.

Other owners expressed concerns about how the redesign functions.

“The black asphalt isn’t great; the rocks don’t stay in these little cutouts,” dog owner Greg Zimmerman said.

Kulhanek said her dog, Pop Tart, has not been injured, but concerns about other dogs have kept them away.

“I’ve seen dogs get, like, their paws sensitive suddenly when they’re running through the gravel, like something has stuck them and, like, pricked their paw or something,” Kulhanek said. “We are hearing a lot of horror stories about other dogs getting hurt at the park, and that kind of deters us from coming at all.”

Zimmerman said he understands the goals behind the redesign but questions whether the final product works for dog owners.

“I understand that they did this because it’s easier for maintenance or for water runoff, and I understand that it has to be usable as well, so they kind of missed the mark on that part,” Zimmerman said.

In a statement, the park district said it is aware of concerns raised by park users and has scheduled a meeting with the Dog Friendly Area Committee.

“We have been made aware of patron concerns regarding the Dog Friendly Area (DFA) at Hamlin Park, and have scheduled a meeting with the Dog Friendly Area Committee to address the community’s concerns about their park experience and determine the appropriate next steps in alignment with our guidelines,” the park district said.

The park district said it does not actively select locations for new dog-friendly areas but supports communities interested in creating them by providing guidelines and helping stakeholders through the process. The park district said the Dog Friendly Area Committee that initiates the process is composed of community stakeholders responsible for maintenance of the dog-friendly area.

The park district also said gravel-filled concrete sections within the redesign were intended to provide controlled drainage areas. According to the park district, those sections help minimize standing water and mud, improve drainage performance and keep gravel confined to designated locations.

The park district added that pea gravel and asphalt are commonly used materials in park facilities, including dog-friendly areas, because of their durability and maintenance considerations. For dog owners raising concerns, the issue extends beyond the redesign itself. They say they want a voice in whatever changes come next.