US-Iran negotiations yielding good progress on keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and establishing Lebanon ceasefire deconfliction mechanisms, a diplomat tells <i>Axios</i>.

<p>The Belgian national team suffered another disappointing setback in their second Group Stage match of the 2026 World Cup, playing out a 0-0 draw against Iran and remaining winless in the tournament so far.</p><p>Following their second consecutive draw, the Belgians face a potentially complicated fight to qualify for the knockout stage heading into the final group match, where they are scheduled to face New Zealand.</p>

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized after branding AIPAC and its supporters "monsters". Manhattan rabbi: “This is pure incitement."

<p>A man approximately 45 years old was seriously injured in a violent incident in Lod.</p><p>A Magen David Adom team treated him at the scene and evacuated him to Assaf Harofeh Hospital.</p>

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fiercely attacked Polish President Karol Nawrocki following the latter's decision to strip him of Poland's highest state decoration.</p><p>In an interview with Ukrainian media, Zelenskyy claimed that the move stems from narrow political considerations ahead of Poland's upcoming elections: "They have a prime ministerial election next year, and Nawrocki is fueling hatred against Ukrainians just so his party's candidate can win."</p><p>Zelenskyy compared Nawrocki’s conduct to the policies of the Hungarian Prime Minister: "This is exactly what Viktor Orbán did. This is a very bad narrative, and I think it will end badly."</p>

<p>The Uruguayan national team remains winless in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup after being held to a surprising 2-2 draw by Cape Verde in their second match.</p><p>Kevin Pina and Hélio Varela (who played for Maccabi Tel Aviv this season) scored Cape Verde’s first-ever goals in World Cup history. This follows Uruguay's opening match, where they were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia.</p><p>Spain currently leads the group with 4 points. They are followed by Uruguay and Cape Verde with 2 points each, while Saudi Arabia sits at the bottom of the table with 1 point. In the dramatic group-stage finale, Uruguay will face Spain, while Cape Verde takes on Saudi Arabia.</p>

President Isaac Herzog warns that Iran-backed Hezbollah is hijacking Lebanon and ruining peace prospects as US and Iranian officials meet in Switzerland.

Right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella holds a narrow lead in Colombia’s presidential race, putting him on track to defeat leftist rival Ivan Cepeda.