A Saudi-led coalition seized the airport of the Yemeni port city Hodeidah in a major setback for Iranian-linked Houthi rebels, who have threatened to lay waste to the city as they defend it.
The coalition forces comprising Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemeni allies hope to take the Houthi’s main port, but the fighting is likely to exacerbate a humanitarian crisis in the ravaged country where an estimated 8.4 million people are thought to be on the verge of starvation.
The assault on Hodeidah, which has spilled into residential areas raising concerns for civilians there, aims at ending a stalemate following the Saudi-led intervention in 2015 to roll back the Houthis who had swept across the country and seized the capital Sanaa. The fighting has already cut off water supplies, stoking fears of a cholera epidemic.
“The liberation of Hodeidah is the beginning to ending the war,” wrote UAE state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash on Twitter.
The coalition had launched its assault a week ago, promising a swift victory to spare the city’s remaining residents and to keep the port open. The United Nations has called on the Houthis to depart Hodeidah.
The rebels, whom the coalition accuses of having used the port to smuggle in Iranian made ballistic missiles launched against Saudi Arabia, have vowed to fight to death.
At a glance | Yemen
“Because Hodeidah is a matter of life or death, the free people have chosen to die with dignity defending it,” wrote Houthi official Hasan Zeid on Twitter.
“There is no going back on this decision: there won’t be a city fit for living left or for holding celebrations when either side wins.”
The rebels’ leader Abdel Malik al-Houthi denied in a speech that Iranian missiles had come through the Red Sea port and threatened that the coalition’s coastal campaign "will be a bog in which the forces of invasion and aggression will perish."
Meanwhile allegations that Yemenis have been raped in a UAE-run detention centre will place further scrutiny on the US and UK-backed coalition’s practices in Yemen.
The Associated Press interviewed witnesses who said guards and interrogators raped and electrocuted prisoners in a southern Yemen detention centre run by the UAE.
"They tortured me without even accusing me of anything," one of them said. “The worst thing about it is that I wish for death every day and I can’t find it."
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said Britain was "concerned" by the report’s allegations. "We are raising our concerns with relevant parties to the conflict and with civil society organisations."
Britain says it has provided targeting training to the coalition to ensure compliance with international law.
As the Duke of Cambridge embarked on his landmark tour to the Middle East, due to become the first member of the British Royal family to undertake an official visit to Israel, he could be forgiven for feeling the weight of history on his shoulders.
As befits the president of the Football Association though, he also had one other thing on his mind: watching the World Cup.
The Duke, who has landed in Amman, Jordan for the first day of his tour, asked his new friend Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II to record the England match for him, making those around him promise not to tell him the score.
The Duke and the Prince, 23, later watched the recorded game after dinner, as the Jordanian Royal family hosted their visitor.
Kensington Palace tweeted two pictures of the duke and the crown prince casually dressed and sitting side by side on a sofa watching the game on a large screen at the Beit Al Urdun Palace.
The Crown Prince of Jordan had recorded the England-Panama game for the Duke of CambridgeCredit:
Twitter/@KensingtonRoyal
Speaking to the media before he had a chance to switch on the television, the Duke joked of the England-Panama match: "On pain of death, please don’t tell me the score."
The plans for football appeared to be the start of a firm friendship between the two royals, as the Prince drove the Duke around Amman in person for their first day of engagements.
As the Duke stepped off his RAF Voyager into the 32C heat of Amman, he was greeted warmly by Crown Prince Hussein for the visit he is said to be “very much looking forward to”.
The Prince then drove him to FabLab, one of his own initiatives to equip young people with technology skills.
In a visit clearly designed to impress the Duke, he was invited to start up a laser cutter which swiftly produced the crest of Aston Villa, the team he supports, on a wooden shield.
“That’s familiar,” he said with a smile when he spotted the Villa crest on the machine. “Very good. You have done your research.”
He was also given a model of the gas tank on one of his beloved Ducati motorbikes bearing the Villa crest.
Jordan is the first stop on Prince William's tour of the Middle East Credit:
Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock
He shares a passion for motorbikes with Crown Prince Hussein, a Sandhurst-trained second lieutenant in the Jordanian army.
The Duke is to spend five days Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories at the request of the Government.
The Duchess of Cambridge has not accompanied her husband on the trip at home with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said: "The historic nature of this tour is of course important and the duke considers it a great privilege to be undertaking the first ever official royal tour of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to be able to help further strengthen the friendship between Jordan and the United Kingdom."
A Navy Seal team, a remote controlled submarine, two heat-seeking drones and a British caver have all been deployed in a race against time to rescue 12 teenage members of a youth football team and their coach, trapped in a flooded cave complex in northern Thailand.
The boys, aged 11 to 16, have been missing since they decided to explore Tham Luang Nang Non caves, a popular tourist attraction in Chiang Rai province near the border with Burma, on Saturday.
The search to find them has been hampered by flood waters rising up to 7m inside the cave’s chambers due to Thailand’s rainy season.
As the team’s anxious parents gathered outside the cave, electricians worked through the night to extend a 900m power cable inside the cave to provide light and ventilation for rescue divers. British caver Vern Unsworth, who has been inside the cave many times, also reportedly joined the search along with six Thai civilians with experience of the cave.
The boys’ bicycles, backpacks and football boots still lay where were the boys entered the complex, next to a makeshift campsite where their parents waited, reported the Bangkok Post.
Relatives pray for a youth football team trapped in the Tham Luang cavesCredit:
Reuters/Reuters
Some relatives kneeled down and prayed, while others performed a ritual calling out for those who were missing, the paper reported.
“My son, come on out! I am waiting for you here!” cried one mother.
Namhom Boonpiam, whose son Mongkol, 13, was among the group, said she had been waiting at the entrance since Saturday night.
“I haven’t slept and I hope that all of them can come out, all safe and sound,” she said.
The caves are generally considered off limits during the rainy season, which runs from June to October.
However, the authorities said that footprints and handprints were found inside, and that tourists trapped there by past floods have been found alive after the waters receded.
The boys, aged 11 to 16, have been missing since SaturdayCredit:
AFP/AFP
Officials hope that the team and their coach have been able to take shelter in dry spaces within the vast underground complex. After days of searching, yesterday officials said they had found a previously undiscovered opening in a section of the cave that they would attempt to helicopter rescuers and food into.
Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda said that divers could proceed only when enough water has been pumped out so there is breathing space between the water and the ceiling. The divers will also soon start using special oxygen tanks that provide longer diving times, he said.
"We are still optimistic that they are all alive," said Prawit Wongsuwon, the deputy prime minister said. "Even though they may not have anything to eat, they should have water to drink."
Gunman bursts into Capital Gazette office in Annapolis
Five killed in ‘targeted attack’ on Maryland newspaper
Threats had been sent to paper before deadly attack
Suspect Jarrod Ramos in long-running feud with paper
‘Please help us’: Intern’s tweet as attack unfolded
How police arrived at scene of shooting in 60 seconds
Staff work in car park to publish paper hours after attack
One mass shooting every day: Facts about US gun violence
A man armed with a shotgun and smoke grenades burst into a newspaper office in the US city of Annapolis, killing five employees in what police described as a "targeted attack."
A witness gave a chilling account of how the attacker started shooting through a glass door to the newsroom of Capital Gazette, which publishes one of America’s oldest newspapers, The Capital, in Maryland state.
The gunman was a white man in his late 30s, police said. They said the motive was unclear, but revealed that threats had been sent to the local newspaper via social media before the deadly attack.
The suspect, who was being questioned in custody, was identified by multiple media outlets as Jarrod Ramos, a 38-year-old from Laurel, Maryland, who had a long-running dispute with the newspaper.
In 2012, Ramos filed a defamation lawsuit against the Capital Gazette and a columnist over a July 2011 story that covered a criminal harassment case against him, the newspaper reported.
The dead were named as four journalists – Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara and Wendi Winters – and sales assistant Rebecca Smith. Two other people suffered minor injuries.
The five victims of the Annapolis shooting: (top) Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, (bottom) John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi WintersCredit:
The Capital
Authorities said the attacker entered the building and "looked for his victims."
"This person was prepared today to come in, this person was prepared to shoot people. His intent was to cause harm," said acting police chief William Krampf.
"This was a targeted attack on the Capital Gazette," Krampf said.
Capital Gazette shooting: Everything we know about newspaper shooting in Maryland
Police arrived at the scene within around 60 seconds of the attack on Thursday afternoon.
There was no exchange of gunfire with officers and the suspect was arrested.
Police said the man being interrogated in custody was "not forthcoming" with any motive for the attack.
But a law enforcement official also said the suspect had mutilated his fingers in what investigators think was an effort to prevent him from being easily identified. Another official said investigators identified the man using facial recognition technology.
Jarrod Ramos, pictured in a police custody image from 2013, is being questioned over the shootingCredit:
Reuters
Police said threats had been made on social media against Capital Gazette as recently as Thursday, and investigators were working to see who they came from.
Mr Krampf said the house of the suspect had been secured and investigators were now awaiting a search warrant.
Earlier, a suspected bomb was found at the scene and was taken away by explosive experts. It was later confirmed to be a bag belonging to the suspect, which contained smoke grenades.
Armed police safely escorted more than 170 people from the newspaper buildingCredit:
SAUL LOEB /AFP
News of the Thursday attack began with a chilling tweet sent at 2:43 pm by a summer intern at the paper.
"Active shooter 888 Bestgate please help us," Anthony Messenger wrote on Twitter, sharing the newsroom’s street address.
Phil Davis, a courts and crime reporter for the paper, posted a series of messages on Twitter describing what he had seen.
There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you're under your desk and then hear the gunman reload
— Phil Davis (@PhilDavis_CG) June 28, 2018
Defiant newspaper staff later said "yes, we’re putting out a damn paper tomorrow", before the front page of Friday’s edition of The Capital was posted on Twitter.
pic.twitter.com/dEiIgEd15K
— Capital Gazette (@capgaznews) June 29, 2018
Law enforcement in Baltimore and New York City increased security at major media outlets as a precaution, authorities said.
Donald Trump, the US president, was briefed on the incident.
He was on his way back to Washington from an event in Wisconsin on Air Force One. Lindsay Walters, a White House spokeswoman, said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with all that are affected.”
Prior to departing Wisconsin, I was briefed on the shooting at Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Thank you to all of the First Responders who are currently on the scene.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2018
Video images showed people leaving the building, walking through a car park with their hands in the air. Around 170 people were safely evacuated from the building.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said: "It’s a tragic situation."
Local politicians repeatedly praised the speed with which police attended the scene, saying the death toll could have been higher had they not acted so swiftly.
Annapolis shooting
The Capital was founded in 1884 as the Evening Capital, and is one of the oldest newspapers in the US. It has a daily readership of 67,000.
The company that owns it started publishing one of the first US news websites in 1994.
Trump ignores questions about shooting
"Can you please talk to us about the dead reporters in Annapolis?"
“Do you have any words of condolence for the families, Mr. President?”
"Why are you walking away?"
Pres. Trump does not comment when asked about the deadly Maryland newsroom shooting.https://t.co/5ZcmEVQW9z pic.twitter.com/iE8wM4OUPn
— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 29, 2018
Details on victims
Wendi Winters was the special publications editor, John McNamara was a writer, Gerald Fischman was editorial page editor, and Rebecca Smith was a sales assistant.
Victims identified
Police have identified the victims in the shooting. They were:
Wendi Winters
Rebecca Smith
Robert Hiaasen
Gerald Fischman
John McNamara
Rob Hiaasen was a 59-year-old journalist and columnist. He was brother of novelist Carl Hiaasen, who said said he was "devastated and heartsick" at his loss. He said his brother was "one of the most gentle and funny people I’ve ever known."
Suspect identified by media
Multiple media outlets, including the Associated Press, are reporting that the suspect has been identified as Jarrod W. Ramos.
In 2012, Ramos filed a defamation lawsuit against the Capital Gazette and a columnist over a July 2011 story that covered a criminal harassment case against him, the newspaper reported.
He brought the suit against the columnist, Eric Hartley, naming Capital Gazette Communications and Thomas Marquardt, the paper’s former editor and publisher, as defendants.
The bio of a Twitter account in Ramos’ name read: “Dear reader: I created this page to defend myself. Now I’m suing the s— out of half of AA County and making corpses of corrupt careers and corporate entities.”
There had been no posts on the account since January 2016 until moments before the shooting. “F— you, leave me alone,” the post at 2:37 p.m. read,
Suspect used smoke grenades
Police have confirmed the suspect – now known to be a white male in his late thirties – used smoke grenades during the attack on Capital Gazette.
Officers also confirmed that threats had been made on social media against the company as recently as Thursday, and that investigators were working to uncover who the accounts belonged to.
Police believe the attack was targeted, but were unable to release a possible motive or name of the suspect.
Capital Gazette editor "devastated and heatbroken"
Jimmy Debutts, Editor of Capital Gazette has written on Twitter of his heartbreak at today’s events, and paid tribute to his staff.
"We keep doing more with less. We find ways to cover high school sports, breaking news, tax hikes, school budgets & local entertainment," he said.
"We are there in times of tragedy. We do our best to share the stories of people, those who make our community better. Please understand, we do all this to serve our community.
"We try to expose corruption. We fight to get access to public records & bring to light the inner workings of government despite major hurdles put in our way. The reporters & editors put their all into finding the truth. That is our mission. Will always be."
Devastated & heartbroken. Numb. Please stop asking for information/interviews. I’m in no position to speak, just know @capgaznews reporters & editors give all they have every day. There are no 40 hour weeks, no big paydays – just a passion for telling stories from our communty.
— Jimmy DeButts (@jd3217) June 28, 2018
Sarah Sanders condemns "evil act"
White House Press secretary Sanders has tweeted describing the attack on innocent journalists as an attack on every American.
Ms Sanders who works daily with White House reporters also sent her prayers to victims, friends and families.
Strongly condemn the evil act of senseless violence in Annapolis, MD. A violent attack on innocent journalists doing their job is an attack on every American. Our prayers are with the victims and their friends and families.
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) June 28, 2018
Shooting suspect mutilated fingers to hide identity
A law enforcement official says the suspect mutilated his fingers in what investigators think was an effort to prevent him from being easily identified.
The official was briefed on the investigation but was not authorised to discuss it publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official says investigators believe the suspect was attempting to prevent them from getting a fingerprint match.
The official says that investigators have nonetheless been able to identify the man, though it was not immediately clear how.
Fox news draws criticism for investigating Capital Gazette political leaning
In the immediate aftermath of the newsroom shooting, Fox News anchor Trace Gallagher announced on air that they had looked into the Capital Gazette’s possible "ideological bent" as a potential motive for the shooting.
Drawing fierce criticism from many on social media he continued: "This newspaper, we kind of looked into the editorial board, who’s on it, what topics they covered," he said live on air, before concluding that they were "very much a local newspaper."
"They endorsed a moderate Democrat," Gallagher said. The paper doesn’t have "a major ideological bent" in case "that plays into the motive of it all."
Glad Fox News checked to see if they deserved to be murdered or not https://t.co/F2IIQSNEiO
— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) 28 June 2018
Suspect has not given a motive
A leading government official for the Maryland county where the deadly shooting occurred says investigators still don’t have any information about a possible motive.
Police have the the suspect in custody but Anne Arundel County executive Steve Schuh said he "has not been very forthcoming" with information.
Schuh added: "To my knowledge, there was no verbal aspect to the incident where he declared his motives or anything else, so at this point we just don’t know.
Emergency responders at the sceneCredit:
SAUL LOEB/AFP
Gabrielle Giffords: "This is not normal"
Gabrielle Giffords, the American politician who survived being shot in the head in an attempted assassination in 2011, tweeted: "We shouldn’t have to live in a country where our lawmakers refuse to address this uniquely American crisis"
Reporters shouldn't have to hide from gunfire while doing their jobs. A summer intern in the newsroom shouldn’t have to tweet for help. We shouldn’t have to live in a country where our lawmakers refuse to address this uniquely American crisis. https://t.co/nJTDPv6pxU
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) June 28, 2018
This is not normal. Since the year began, there’ve been 179 days and already 154 mass shootings. Every day, more than 90 people are killed by a gun. We are facing a problem and we have to do something about it.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) June 28, 2018
Americans are demanding that their lawmakers pass effective laws to protect our communities, but this Congress refuses to listen. We should be outraged—and making plans to hold them accountable. I’m ready to stand with voters and make our voices heard loud in November.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) June 28, 2018
Reporter describes terrifying scene
In an interview with the Baltimore Sun, which owns the Gazette, Phil Davis said that he and others were still hiding under their desks when the shooter stopped firing.
"I don’t know why. I don’t know why he stopped," he said. "But as much as I’m going to try to articulate how traumatizing it is to be hiding under your desk, you don’t know until you’re there and you feel helpless."
Suspected explosive device found
Police said they found a suspect device and it is being examined for explosives.
Gunman was white and used 'long gun'
Police said the gunman was white and used a "long gun". CNN reported it was a shotgun.
He was engaged by officers but they did not exchange shots.
Capital Gazette carries on reporting
Despite the tragedy the newspaper continued to report the news.
It published a report of the shooting at its office on its website.
Five people were killed and several others were “gravely injured” in a shooting at the Capital Gazette office, according to police. A shooter is in custody. https://t.co/ZTw7BuaNAk
— Capital Gazette (@capgaznews) June 28, 2018
Where the shooting happened
Newspaper is one of oldest in the US
The Capital Gazette was founded in 1884 as the Evening Capital, and is one of the oldest newspapers in the US.
It also moved with the times. The company that owns it started publishing one of the first US news websites in 1994.
It currently has a daily readership of 67,000
US gun debate will reignite
A recent study found that Americans own 40 per cent of the world’s firearms despite accounting for only four per cent of the global population.
Of the 857 million guns owned by civilians, 393 million are in the United States – more than all of the firearms held by ordinary citizens in the other top 25 countries combined, according to the Small Arms Survey.
Advocates of tougher gun laws in the US have stepped up their efforts in the wake of numerous school shootings this year, including the killing of 17 people at a Parkland, Florida high school in February and the killing of 10 people at a Texas high school in May.
Mr Trump wrote on Twitter: "My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Thank you to all of the First Responders who are currently on the scene."
Motive for attack still unknown
Police said the gunman was in custody after he was "engaged" by officers.
The motive for the attack was not yet known. It was not thought to involve terrorism, an official said.
Police confirm five deaths
Police confirmed five people have died and several others were "gravely injured".
Bill Krampf, acting police chief of Anne Arundel County, said: "There’s five fatalities that we know of. There’s several other persons that are gravely injured."
Police confirm several injuries
Lt. Ryan Frashure, Anne Arundel County police spokesman, said he could not confirm if there were any fatalities, only that there were several injuries.
He said that once the building is secured he would release information about the suspect and the injuries.
“We’re doing our very best,” he said.
One shooter in custody
A city spokeswoman says one shooter is now in custody.
Police said they are still investigating and at this point cannot confirm the shooter was working alone.
Public asked to avoid the area
Info from @AACOPD – Avoid the area of Bestgate Rd #Annapolis due to ongoing police activity- if you need to find a loved one who was at 888 Bestgate Rd please go to Lord and Taylor, 839 Bestgate Rd at #Annapolis Mall
— Annapolis Police (@AnnapolisPD) June 28, 2018
Police search offices of The Baltimore Sun
The local newspaper is located in a four-story office building.
Police are also searching the offices of The Baltimore Sun which owns the daily paper.
Anne Arundel Police at the sceneCredit:
@joshuamckerrow/Twitter
Maryland Governor "devastated"
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said he was "absolutely devastated to learn of this tragedy in Annapolis."
"Please, heed all warnings and stay away from the area. Praying for those at the scene and for our community."
Capital Gazette reporter says "it's bad"
Phil Davis, a Gazette crime reporter who was in the office at the time of the shooting, said multiple people had been shot. Police have not confirmed deaths or injuries.
Mr Davis tweeted: “Gunman shot through the glass door to the office and opened fire on multiple employees. Can’t say much more and don’t want to declare anyone dead, but it’s bad.”
“There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you’re under your desk and then hear the gunman reload.”
There is nothing more terrifying than hearing multiple people get shot while you're under your desk and then hear the gunman reload
— Phil Davis (@PhilDavis_CG) June 28, 2018
Baltimore Sun confirms newsroom targeted
The Baltimore Sun, which owns the Annapolis paper, is confirming the shooting occurred at the Capital Gazette offices. A staff member said multiple people were shot, The Sun reports.
The Iranian government has come under further strain in the wake of the axed nuclear deal, as economic sanctions begin to bite and protests begin to surge once again.
Showing that they still have the clout to unsettle the government, as they did in 1978 when they backed the Islamic Revolution that dethroned the Shah, merchants beneath the vaulted domes of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar last week began shutting their stalls in a protest that lasted for three days.
Though no longer the economic centre of Tehran, the sprawling bazaar still resonates with symbolism.
The question now is how long Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, will last while he’s being pressed by hardliners at home and facing renewed US sanctions abroad.
The hardliners, who have attacked Mr Rouhani since the pragmatist first won elections in 2013, have been blamed for instigating the strike, and have sought to exploit it.
They oppose engagement with the West or rolling back Iran’s interventions in the Middle East.
Closed shops during the strike at Tehran's Grand Bazaar on June 26, 2018 in TehranCredit:
Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Merchants say unidentified men had coursed through the pathways of the bazaar, demanding shops be shut, who are thought to be hardliners.
Shots have been fired across the bow, with conservatives close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, even suggesting the country would be better off without a government.
The merchants have their own grievances. The rial has lost almost half its value against the US dollar since Donald Trump, the US President, withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran in May and reimposed sanctions.
Hitting out against Mr Trump, Ali Khamenei yesterday (SAT) was reported to have said: "They bring to bear economic pressure to separate the nation from the system… but six US presidents before him tried this and had to give up."
“The strikes may have been triggered by political groups opposing Rouhani, but store owners were also looking for a way to express their protest,” said Maysam, who sells soap and skin care products at the bazaar.
“What we and other store owners at the bazaar want is stability,” he said.
Over the last week footage has been shared on social media showing protesters marching through the bazaar chanting against Iran’s costly intervention to prop up Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president.
How Iran will look to reshape the Middle East if the nuclear deal unravels
“Leave Syria, think of us.” Protesters marched to parliament, where they were met with police who fired tear gas.
The merchants, however, are prudent. A jeweller at the bazaar, who declined to be named, said some merchants felt compelled to go along with the strike by protesters.
“We have a problem with recession, but closing the stores will damage us more,” she said.
Mr Rouhani has been defiant, telling Iranians to unite and “bring America to its knees” in a speech on Wednesday, while Ali Khamenei has also called for unity, and for protesters to be punished.
But the future remains grim for Mr Rouhani, whose country has yet to feel the full force of US sanctions on Iranian oil exports which come into effect in November.
“The Rouhani administration is now in deep trouble,” said Ali Fathollah-Nejad, an Iran expert with the German Council on Foreign Relations.
The 2015 nuclear deal led by then US President Barack Obama waived an oil embargo against Iran by the EU, and foreign companies began setting up shop in Iran. The EU wants to continue the waiver but Trump’s administration says it expects the Europeans, as well as China and India, to respect the sanctions.
Iranian protesters gather at Mobile market in Tehran on June 25, 2018Credit:
ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images
Protests are likely to continue. In December and January, demonstrations initially encouraged by hardliners had spread to dozens of towns and cities and soon spun out of control, with protesters chanting slogans targetting both Mr Rouhani and the hardliners.
“Expectations were high after the nuclear deal that the government would turn the corner and the difficult sanctions era would end,” said Naysan Rafati, the International Crises Group’s Iran analyst.
“But structural issues continue, such as corruption, and mismanagement.”
Iran expert Suzanne Maloney, Brooking’s foreign policy deputy director and former State Department official, says that there is a perception Iran is on the brink of collapse, adding, however that “for the past 40 years Iran has experienced essentially every calamity short of the plague. The leadership has perfected the art of survival."
Children taken from their parents at the US-Mexico border may never find their families again, legal experts have warned, as authorities scramble to reunite relatives ahead of a court-imposed deadline.
Judge Dana Sabraw in San Diego called the separation of families in a Trump administration policy brought in on April 6 “brutal” and “offensive”.
He ordered the government to stop separating families caught at the border and to reunite the 2,551 children already apart — and to do it in a month.
On Thursday the deadline expires, and Eve Stotland, the director of legal services at The Door, a New York charity which helps migrants and refugees, said the chaos on the border meant some children would…
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Man City boss Pep Guardiola wants to bring Man Utd flop Alexis Sanchez across Manchester this summer, according to reports.
Sanchez joined Man Utd in a part-exchange deal from Arsenal, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan moving the other way. But the forward struggled immensely at Old Trafford, scoring just five goals for the club in 45 appearances.
He was sent on loan to Inter Milan in the summer but has been unable to establish himself fully under Antonio Conte due to injury.
OPINION: Victor spoils Manchester United trophy chances, not De Gea
Guardiola – who is a big fan of the Chile international – and City were keen on bringing Sanchez to the Etihad Stadium in January 2018 when he opted to make the move to Man Utd – but Chilean newspaper La Cuarta (via Sport Witness) reckon the Citizens are interested again.
It had been expected that Inter Milan would strike some kind of deal this summer, whether that was a loan deal or permanent, but now there has apparently been unexpected interest from City.
La Cuarta claims that City ‘again probe’ for the Man Utd forward with the Premier League club returning to ‘make contact’ with the Chilean’s representatives.
Sanchez is an ‘old love’ of City’s and they intend to find out what they need to pay to beat Inter Milan to his signature this summer.
The report adds that City have a transfer budget of €166m (£151m) this summer and that Sanchez would only set them back €19.2m (£17.5m) with their ‘new interest’ set to put pressure on Inter Milan.
Former Man Utd goalkeeper Mark Bosnich thinks Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could make the “huge decision” to replace David de Gea with Sergio Romero for their final two Premier League matches.
Solskjaer’s side saw an impressive 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions come to a crashing end at an empty Wembley on Sunday, when Chelsea deservedly secured a 3-1 FA Cup semi-final triumph.
Meek Man Utd put in an uncharacteristically disjointed display under the arch, where Olivier Giroud all too easily beat Victor Lindelof to turn home a cross deep in first-half stoppage time.
OPINION: Victor spoils Manchester United trophy chances, not De Gea
De Gea did not cover himself in glory for the opener and was guilty of a shocker within a minute of the second half as Mason Mount’s long-range strike somehow beat him.
Man Utd captain Harry Maguire’s own goal summed up a difficult day for the Red Devils as they will now look to concentrate on securing a top-four finish in the Premier League.
And Bosnich thinks that Solskjaer might have to take the decision to drop De Gea for their final two matches of the season.
“I spoke some weeks ago after that error against Tottenham and I spoke about it from a technical point of view how he seems to be pushing all his balance going forward with his feet,” Bosnich told Sky Sports.
“Especially for the second goal, you pretty much saw that again – that’s why he dived backwards.
“Either he is moving just before they shoot, or more likely that his balance is a little bit too lopsided.
“Once you start diving backwards as a goalkeeper, you are in big trouble.
“He’s been fantastic for Manchester United over a long period, there’s no doubt about that.
“But in these last eight to 12 months there have been a consistency of errors from him that we have not seen before.
“Ole’s got to seriously weigh up does he bring in Romero for these final two games. That’s a huge decision he’s got to make.”
Bosnich added: “It’s so important for the club to get into the Champions League.
“A lot will depend on his mood and the way [De Gea] is around the training ground in the next couple of days because they can ill afford more mistakes like that going into these last two games.
“It’s very difficult to, the only way to get over it is to have another game as soon as you possibly can and to play really well and to go a game mistake free.”
Nicolas Anelka thinks Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane should stay at Liverpool rather than move to Real Madrid as it’s “the place to be”.
Both Salah and Mane have been linked with a move to the Spanish giants in the past with their reputations taking off over the last three or four seasons.
Liverpool have won the Premier League and Champions League in the past two seasons, while Jurgen Klopp is widely recognised as one of the best managers in the world and Anelka has questioned why anyone would want to leave.
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Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Anelka said: “It’s an amazing front three.
“I love them all, especially Roberto Firmino because he is the key for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane’s success.
“Salah and Mane are ranking in the top five best players in the world right now. They have the quality to play for Real Madrid.
“But today Liverpool can compete with Real Madrid so they don’t need to move. Liverpool is very much the place to be.”
On the club’s title triumph, Anelka added: “The players can be proud after 30 years of waiting
“It’s a shame it had to come at the same time as this coronavirus so they won’t be able to celebrate with the fans like they should. But it’ll do.
“Jurgen Klopp is a genius. I love his work, the way he is with his players and the players he has signed. They’re top-class players.
“They’ll be competitive for many years. Klopp has brought the club back to where it deserves.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appeared to back David De Gea despite admitting his mistake for Mason Mount’s goal should be saved “100 times out of 100.”
The Red Devils entered the contest with hopes high of advancing to the FA Cup final, but were hamstrung by a series of errors that typified a sloppy all-round performance.
Hinting at why his side produced such an underwhelming display, Solskjaer said: “Of course coming in at half time with the goal after that long lay off was a big blow for us. We lost concentration and that was disappointing.
“Chelsea had an extra 48 hours, that’s just a fact but it’s no excuse, I can’t use excuses.
“It is what it is, we would rather have the semi to play than not, I won’t make a fuss out of that.
“You always question your decisions.
“I can’t speak for David de Gea’s confidence but he is mentally very strong. He knows he should save that one 100 times out of 100 but that’s football for you.
“I made the decision to play him and mentally he was ready for it.
“You know Olivier Giroud’s movement you know he goes to the near post and we should defend that better. We are a little too late in those situations and the second goal was very avoidable.”
Centre-half Eric Bailly recieved a lenghty spell of treament following a head clash with Harry Maguire.
Despite being stretched off in a neck brace, Solskjaer hinted that the injury suffered may not be as serious as first feared.
“Eric Bailly is hopefully fine, he had a cut on his head but hopefully he will be fine.
“There is no time to feel sorry for ourselves, we have two games this week and then the Europa League. We will get our heads ready and our legs ready and go again.”