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Oil prices fall as US officials raise hopes of a deal with Iran
Oil prices dropped to a three-week low on Tuesday after senior US officials suggested a deal with Iran could soon reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for global oil and gas supplies. The prospect of eased disruption matters because previous rounds of talks have repeatedly stalled, leaving oil markets volatile and contributing…
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TIFF Centrepiece To Showcase 54 Features With Kamila Andini’s ‘Four Seasons in Java’ & Avi Nesher’s ‘Our Loves’ Among World Premieres
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced its 2026 Centrepiece lineup, featuring 54 films from 50 countries as part of the festival’s 51st edition. The programme includes 10 world premieres, among them Indonesian director Kamila Andini’s “Four Seasons in Java” and Israeli director Avi Nesher’s October 7-themed drama “Our Lives”, underscoring TIFF’s role as…
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Mass funeral in Gaza for 112 Palestinians killed in 2023 Israeli strike
Hundreds of mourners gathered in Gaza City for a mass funeral for 112 Palestinians, most of them women and children, who were killed in an Israeli air strike on a residential block in the Sabra neighbourhood on 22 November 2023. Their bodies have only just been recovered after a two-week excavation operation, meaning families were…
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Trade vessel struck by projectile in Strait of Hormuz amid US-Iran talks
A commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz near the coast of Oman was struck by an unidentified projectile overnight on Tuesday, according to a report filed with UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The incident occurred against a backdrop of uncertainty over whether Iran will take part in ongoing negotiations with the United States this…
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Back in the Room Where It Happens: Why ‘Hamilton’ Is Sparking Even More Joy for Leslie Odom Jr. This Time Around
Leslie Odom Jr. has returned to the West End production of “Hamilton” as Aaron Burr, marking the first time an original Broadway cast member has performed in the show’s London run since it opened nearly a decade ago. His limited engagement at the Victoria Palace Theatre, running from 3 July to 5 September, sold out…
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Cargo ship reports being struck in Strait of Hormuz
A cargo ship reported Monday that it was struck by a projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz overnight, as the U.S. and Iran are at odds over holding new peace talks. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) stated that the cargo vessel reported that it was “hit by an unknown projectile”…
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Middle East cinemas post record opening for new Spider-Man film
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has recorded the biggest opening weekend in Middle East box office history, according to Empire Entertainment, Sony Pictures’ exclusive theatrical distributor for the region. The milestone highlights the growing strength of Middle Eastern cinema markets for major blockbusters, coming even as the wider region has faced disruption this year following the…
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US water facilities targeted by ‘malicious cyber actors’ – who’s to blame?
Federal cybersecurity officials warned that “malicious cyber actors” had targeted water and wastewater facilities across at least seven US states, with Minnesota the worst affected after 30 of its water systems were hit. The disruptions caused low water pressure and prompted some utilities to issue boil-water notices, though there have been no reports of contamination.…
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Holy Land battle: Solomon’s Pools become flashpoint in fight over Israel’s biblical heritage
Solomon’s Pools, a set of three ancient reservoirs south of Jerusalem between the Israeli town of Efrat and Bethlehem, have become a point of contention in the wider dispute over heritage and sovereignty in the Holy Land. Officials in Efrat accuse the Palestinian Authority of allowing the historic site to fall into disrepair since it…
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GOP party fissures exposed in battle for SC Senate seat to replace Graham: ‘I don’t like hearing that’
Five Republican candidates seeking to fill the South Carolina US Senate seat left vacant by the death of Lindsey Graham clashed during a debate on Monday evening, revealing splits within the state’s GOP over several high-profile national issues. While the candidates broadly agreed on core party positions, notable disagreements emerged over the war in Iran,…