Entertainment
Major win for Trump on Gaza, but will it stand test of time?
US President Donald Trump has undeniably scored a diplomatic victory by helping to broker a truce for Gaza, but the path to the lasting peace he says he wants for the Middle East is littered with obstacles.
And it remains to be seen whether the 79-year-old Trump — who is not exactly known for his attention to the fine print — will devote the same level of energy to the conflict over the long term, once his victory lap in the region is over next week.
“Any agreement between Israelis and Palestinians, but especially one indirectly brokered between Israel and Hamas is an extraordinary achievement,” Aaron David Miller, who worked for multiple US administrations of both parties, told AFP.
“Trump decided to do something that no American president… of either party has ever done, which is to pressure and squeeze an Israeli prime minister on an issue that that prime minister considered vital to his politics,” said Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
But Miller, who has participated in Middle East peace talks over the years, warned of the “universe of complexity and detail” that remains to be hashed out with respect to the implementation of phase two of the deal.

The Israeli army said its troops had ceased fire at 0900 GMT Friday in the Gaza Strip, in anticipation of the release of all Israeli hostages, dead and alive, in the subsequent 72 hours, in compliance with the deal it reached with Palestinian armed group Hamas.
Trump has said he expects to head to the Middle East on Sunday, with stops in Egypt, where the talks took place, and Israel.
Art of the deal?
Given that every US president over the past 20 years has been unsuccessful in resolving crises between Israel and the Palestinians, Trump’s accomplishment is already remarkable.
But the Republican billionaire president has broader aspirations — to revive the Abraham Accords reached during his first White House term, under which the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco offered Israel diplomatic recognition.
Trump has brought his son-in-law Jared Kushner, one of the architects of those accords, back into the administration to work with special envoy Steve Witkoff on the Gaza negotiations.
Officials and foreign policy observers agree that Trump deftly used a mix of carrot and stick — publicly and privately, and especially with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — to get the deal done.
He also leveraged his strong ties with Arab and Muslim leaders including Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
For Miller, Trump clearly played a “decisive” role.
But while the agreement’s first phase appears to be on track, much remains undefined, including how — and if — Hamas will agree to disarm after two years of devastating conflict in the Palestinian territory, following its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

“A ceasefire is not yet a lasting peace,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Thursday, after meeting with European and Arab ministers on how to help the Palestinians in the post-conflict period.
Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, wrote: “Whether this leads to an end to the war remains an open question.”
Huge challenges
Cook says the challenge now is to fully implement Trump’s 20-point plan, which calls for Hamas to surrender its weapons, the creation of an international stabilisation force and new governing structures for Gaza that will not include the Palestinian resistance group.
Trump insisted Thursday that “there will be disarming” by Hamas and “pullbacks” by Israeli forces.
Then on Friday, he added: “I think there is consensus on most of it, and some of the details, like anything else, will be worked out.”
But his administration will need to work hard to finalise the deal, and ensure that Arab countries in the region are invested in helping rebuild a devastated Gaza.
A team of 200 US military personnel will “oversee” the Gaza truce, senior US officials said Thursday.

Miller said there are “operational” holes in the plan as it stands, including “no detailed planning for either how to decommission and/or demilitarise Gaza, even if you had Hamas’s assent, which you don’t.”
The plan also calls for the creation of a so-called “Board of Peace,” a transitional body to be chaired by Trump himself — a proposal Hamas rejected on Thursday.
“Despite coming to office eager to shed America’s Middle East commitments, Trump just took on a huge one: responsibility for a peace plan that will forever bear his name,” wrote Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Entertainment
Sandra Bullock reportedly shares ‘natural chemistry’ with THIS star
After decades of car chases, crime thrillers and casino capers, John Travolta may finally be ready to trade the action hero life for something a little softer – and a lot flirtier.
Nearly 50 years after Grease turned him into Hollywood’s ultimate heartthrob, the 72-year-old star is reportedly hunting for the perfect romantic comedy comeback.
And according to insiders, there’s one woman at the top of the wish list: Sandra Bullock.
“John’s had such a long run in action and drama, that’s been his bread and butter,” a source told Closer magazine.
“But the truth is he’s actually more of a rom-com guy, those are the movies he loves watching, and he wants to try making one before it’s too late.”
Hollywood apparently agrees. While names like Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan have floated around, insiders claim Sandra is the “dream pick.”
And honestly? Danny Zuko flirting with the queen of rom-coms sounds like the kind of movie people would absolutely stream on a rainy Sunday.
“They haven’t worked together before, but they have a fantastic rapport, and people think they’d work really well as an on-screen couple,” the insider said. “Of course, people in his world are also secretly hoping that something more might spark between them once they start working together.”
The pair have crossed paths for years in Hollywood circles and famously shared a playful moment onstage at the Oscars. They also reportedly share mutual friends, including Nicole Kidman.
Behind the scenes, friends believe their connection goes deeper than Hollywood small talk. Both stars know devastating loss – John lost wife Kelly Preston in 2020 after her battle with breast cancer, while Sandra mourned longtime partner Brian Randall following his ALS battle.
“They share the same painful history of losing their soul mates far too soon,” the source said. “Sandra’s still grieving Brian intensely, and there’s no doubt John misses Kelly every day too.”
For now, there’s no romance – and maybe no rom-com yet either.
But insiders say if the right script lands on both their desks, Hollywood could get its next unexpected dream pairing.
Entertainment
Queen Camilla makes stunning confession in interview with Jenna Bush Hager
Queen Camilla sat down for a surprise interview with former US President George W Bush’s daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, who’s a renowned journalist.
The Queen, 78, made a stunning confession in chat with Jenna during her visit to the New York Public Library on Wednesday.
The conversation, recorded on day three of the King Chares and Camilla’s State Visit to America, focused on the Queen’s dedication to promoting literacy and her experiences during the trip.
The Queen reportedly spoke of her reading habbits, nature and personal choices during the chat.
NBC’s TODAY programme announced the interview on Instagram, stating: “In a TODAY exclusive, Jenna Bush Hager spoke to Her Majesty Queen Camilla about her visit to the U.S. and the Queen’s passion for reading.”
Vicki Perrin, who serves as Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, also accompanied the journalis at the library event.
The reception attracted impressive gathering of literary and cultural figures, with approximately 100 guests from the publishing world in attendance.
Among those present were Vogue editor Anna Wintour, author Harlan Coben, and actress Sarah Jessica Parker, herself a prominent advocate for reading initiatives.
Parker remarked: “Every time you shine a spotlight on reading and the relationship between a reader and a book and how it changes lives and enriches lives and cultivates empathy and curiosity, I’m so grateful.”
The Queen was all excited as she presented a special gift to the institution’s famous collection of Winnie the Pooh teddy bears, which originally belonged to author A.A. Milne’s son.
She donated a replacement Roo doll, crafted by British toymaker Merrythought, as the original character has been missing from the collection for some time.
Entertainment
US top commander to brief Trump on new military options against Iran, says report
- Possible strikes may focus on key Iranian infrastructure sites.
- Another plan involves securing Strait of Hormuz shipping route.
- Operation could include ground forces to reopen key oil passage.
President Donald Trump will receive a briefing on Thursday from the leader of the US Central Command, Brad Cooper, on new plans for potential military action against Iran, Axios reported on Wednesday.
The report cited unidentified sources. The White House and the US Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Centcom has prepared a plan for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes on Iran, likely including infrastructure targets, Axios reported, citing sources.
A fragile ceasefire in the Iran war began three weeks ago.
The war began when the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and the Gulf states with US bases. US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.
Trump has previously threatened to destroy Iran’s civilian infrastructure. International law experts say such strikes may amount to war crimes. The 1949 Geneva Conventions on humanitarian conduct in war prohibit attacks on sites considered essential for civilians.
Another plan expected to be shared with Trump is focused on taking over part of the Strait of Hormuz to reopen it to commercial shipping, the report added, saying such an operation may involve ground forces.
The Iran war, which remains unpopular in the US, has shaken markets and raised oil prices. The war has brought traffic through the strait, a chokepoint for about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, close to a standstill.
Washington hopes to make Iran more flexible at the negotiating table on nuclear issues, Axios reported.
Another option that might come up in the briefing is a special forces operation to secure Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, Axios said.
Trump has cited Iran’s nuclear programme as an imminent threat. Tehran denies seeking nuclear weapons but says it has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine is also expected to attend Thursday’s briefing, Axios reported.
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