An investigation into the death of a Palestinian teenager in an Israeli prison has been closed by an Israeli judge, who said even though it’s clear the boy was starved, the cause of death is undeterminable, a newly-unsealed court decision has revealed. The ruling provided insight into Israel’s handling of the flashpoint case of 17-year-old Walid Ahmad, which gained notoriety because he was the first Palestinian under 18 to die in Israeli detention, said Palestinian officials. Ahmad, who was described by his family as a healthy teenager, spent six months in Israel’s Megiddo prison before he collapsed in March 2025....

Iran and the United States hardened their positions as a diplomatic push for a ceasefire in the Middle East war appeared to falter on Thursday. Tehran moved to formalize its control over the crucial Strait of Hormuz while Washington prepared for the arrival of U.S. troops in the region that could be used on the ground in the Islamic Republic. Sirens over Israel warned of barrages of incoming Iranian missiles and in the United Arab Emirates, two people were reported killed and three were wounded by falling shrapnel from a missile interception over Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Industry experts say...

Renewed fighting erupted along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Wednesday after a temporary ceasefire expired, killing at least two civilians and wounding others in eastern Afghanistan, Afghan Taliban officials said. The brief truce had been announced by the two sides ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Ziaur Rahman Speenghar, a director at the information and culture department in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, said Pakistani forces fired dozens of artillery shells into the Narai and Sarkano districts, killing two civilians and wounding eight others after the ceasefire expired. Afghan border forces returned fire, he said, claiming they destroyed...

Near, far, wherever she is … Celine Dion is heading back to Paris. Confirming clues that have been popping up, tantalizingly, on posters around the French capital, a person involved in the planning told The Associated Press that Dion will play autumn concerts at the La Defense Arena. The person spoke on condition anonymity to discuss the closely guarded preparations, and did not give details. Representatives for Dion in the United States did not immediately respond to questions. The concerts in the City of Light will come after Dion electrified the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games where...

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will be discharged from hospital on Friday to return home and continue serving his 27-year sentence for a coup attempt, his doctor said. Dr. Brasil Caiado told journalists in the capital Brasilia on Wednesday that Bolsonaro’s health status is stable and he can return to house imprisonment unless new circumstances emerge. The 71-year-old leader has been hospitalized since March 13 for pneumonia, one of several health problems he has faced since he was stabbed by a man in 2018 before being elected president. On Tuesday, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes allowed Bolsonaro return...

For years, parents, teenagers, pediatricians, educators and whistleblowers have pushed the idea that social media is detrimental to young people’s mental health and can lead to addiction, eating disorders, sexual exploitation and suicide. For the first time, juries in two states took their side. In Los Angeles on Wednesday, a jury found both Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children using their services. In New Mexico, a jury determined that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. Tech watchdog groups, families and children’s advocates cheered the jury decisions....

Tottenham Hotspur are in ongoing discussions with Roberto De Zerbi and his representatives over a potential move to become the club’s permanent head coach. De Zerbi is Tottenham’s primary target for the role, with talks focused on the project and long-term plans. The club reportedly approached De Zerbi to take over immediately, but he has declined that option, indicating he would only be open to starting from next season. He is assessing all his opportunities carefully, with multiple job prospects expected to emerge in the coming weeks. Tottenham remain highly interested in securing De Zerbi’s services, but only if the...