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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza — who led the No. 1 Hoosiers to a perfect 13-0 regular-season record, their first Big Ten title since 1967 and eventually their first national title — captured the 91st Heisman Trophy.
Mendoza completed 71.5% of his pass attempts during the regular season for 2,980 yards with 39 total touchdowns after transferring to the Hoosiers following two seasons at Cal. He beat out quarterbacks Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) and Julian Sayin (Ohio State) and running back Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) to take home the trophy during the annual ceremony in New York.
With Mendoza, Pavia and Love moving on to the NFL after this season, there’s a whole new crop of Heisman Trophy candidates for 2026.
Here is a look at some of the top potential contenders (in no particular order):
2025 stats: 87 catches, 1,243 receiving yards, 12 total touchdowns
Smith’s highlight reel of acrobatic, one-handed catches continues to grow, and he arguably was the best player in college football this past season. He is the fastest Buckeyes player to reach career marks of 2,000 receiving yards (24 games), 100 catches (20) and 25 touchdown receptions (25).
Sayin might have captured the Heisman Trophy this season if Ohio State’s offense hadn’t flopped in its 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten championship game. In his first season as a starter, Sayin challenged the NCAA pass completion record of 77.4%, set by Oregon’s Bo Nix in 2023, but ended at 77.0% after the Cotton Bowl.
Moore stunned a lot of folks when he opted to return to Oregon for the 2026 season instead of entering the NFL draft. He was projected to be one of the first prospects off the board. But Moore and his team opted to gain another season of experience, and the Ducks will be among the top CFP title contenders because of him. He completed 71.8% of his attempts but needs to cut down on his turnovers.
In his first full season as Georgia’s starting quarterback, Stockton helped guide the Bulldogs to a 12-2 record and SEC title. His legs and right arm were a big reason the Bulldogs averaged 31.9 points despite enduring myriad injuries on the offensive line. Stockton was at his best when the game was on the line — he completed 83.6% of his passes with seven touchdowns and no interceptions in the fourth quarter in 2025.
2025 stats: 11.1 yards per catch, 23 receptions on third down, 298 punt return yards
Toney’s teammates call him “Baby Jesus,” and the true freshman delivered in a big way in his first season with the Hurricanes. He led the FBS with 109 catches and was fifth with 1,211 receiving yards. Toney even threw for two scores. Not bad for an 18-year-old who would be a senior in high school if he hadn’t reclassified to the class of 2025.
Even after all the hand-wringing about Manning being overrated at the start of the season, the former five-star recruit ended up putting together a good campaign in 2025. He heads into his junior season as the projected No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL draft. The Longhorns needed to find some offensive linemen (he was sacked 23 times), but adding former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman and tailbacks Hollywood Smothers (NC State) and Raleek Brown (Arizona State) will help.
After totaling 3,380 yards of offense and 36 touchdowns at Cincinnati last season, Sorsby was the No. 1 quarterback in the transfer portal. The Red Raiders invested heavily to land him, and they’re counting on him to do more than former starter Behren Morton did. Sorsby is a three-year starter, and his dual-threat ability brings another dimension to the Texas Tech offense.
There will be a lot of eyes on Mensah after he broke his multiyear contract with Duke and transferred to Miami on the last day of the transfer portal window. The Blue Devils sued to prevent him from leaving but ultimately reached a financial settlement on his buyout. He’s another plug-and-play starter for the Hurricanes, who reached last season’s CFP title game with former Georgia starter Carson Beck.
The NCAA denied Ole Miss’ waiver application to get Chambliss another year of eligibility, so now the sides will battle it out in a Mississippi court. Chambliss played his first three seasons at Division II Ferris State before transferring to Ole Miss in 2025. He was named SEC Newcomer of the Year after taking over the starting job in the third game of the season.
2025 stats: 1,649 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns
A transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, Hardy was second in the FBS with 126.9 rushing yards per game and 1,649 rushing yards. He had eight 100-yard games for the Tigers, including a whopping 300-yard effort with three touchdowns in a 49-27 victory against Mississippi State on Nov. 15.
Reed returning to Texas A&M is great news for the Aggies. He was a threat anytime he had the ball in his hands last season, when he helped them win their first 11 games. His decision-making needs to improve so he can cut down on his 12 interceptions. He completed only 49.4% of his attempts with five picks on third down, another area for improvement.
There’s a reason new Bears coach Tosh Lupoi took a late-night flight to Hawai’i to make sure Sagapolutele was staying at Cal. He was only the second true freshman in FBS history to pass for 200 yards or more in each of his first 11 starts. In the Bears’ late-season upsets of then-No. 21 SMU and No. 15 Louisville, Sagapolutele passed for a combined 653 yards with six touchdowns and no picks.
2025 stats: 1,567 rushing yards, 24 touchdowns
After transferring from Missouri, Lacy helped the Rebels win 11 games in the regular season for the first time and win two CFP games. He was second in the FBS in rushing touchdowns and rushing yards. That’s the reason former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin wanted Lacy to join him at LSU.
Getting Maiava to come back to USC gives Trojans coach Lincoln Riley’s team a chance to make a big jump in 2026. Maiava ranked second in the FBS with a 91.2 total QBR last season and was fifth in passing yards. He needs to cut down on his 10 interceptions — seven of them came in USC’s four losses in 2025.
2025 stats: 1,090 rushing yards, 7 total touchdowns
Jackson became the fifth true freshman in OSU history to produce a 1,000-yard season, joining Robert Smith (1990), Maurice Clarett (2002), JK Dobbins (2017) and TreVeyon Henderson (2021). That’s good company. And, of course, he’d be the second Bo Jackson to collect a stiff-armed trophy.
2025 stats: 68.9% completion pct, 9.5 yards per attempt, 39 total touchdowns
Mestemaker is one of the best stories in college football. He didn’t start a single game in high school, then joined North Texas as a walk-on. During the 2025 season, he led the FBS with 4,379 passing yards, helping him capture the Burlsworth Trophy as the top walk-on in the country. He will join former Mean Green coach Eric Morris at Oklahoma State in 2026.
Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman entrusted Carr with his offense after a heated battle in preseason camp. The decision paid off, as Carr put together one of the best performances by a first-time starter in Notre Dame history. He threw for at least one touchdown in each of his first 12 starts, becoming the first Irish player to do that since Everett Golson in 2012-14. Carr’s 24 passing touchdowns are tied for the most in the first 12 starts by a Notre Dame player since 1966.
Williams is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the FBS, and his ability to run and throw was on display in the Huskies’ 38-19 victory against Rutgers on Oct. 10. He became the first player in school history to pass for at least 400 yards (400) and run for at least 100 (136) in the same game. Williams was second on the team with 595 rushing yards. He’ll have to do some damage control with his teammates and UW fans after nearly leaving for LSU.
Cardi B opens up to friend amid Stefon Diggs rumored breakup
Cardi B appeared to be emotionally troubled during a new exchange with her friends.
As rumors continued to swirl about her breakup with NFL player Stefon Diggs, the rapper was seen talking to a pal in a tense manner.
The exchange came when Cardi arrived at Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Super Bowl party on February 7. The Bodak Yellow hitmaker was seen talking to a woman with burnt orange hair.
Lip reader Nicola Hickling noted that Cardi seemed “emotionally overwhelmed” and “visibly tense”.
Nicola told The Mirror that Cardi told the woman, “I’ve got a lot to do.”
The woman asked, “Do you want me to hold your hand?” to which Cardi allegedly replied, “Just leave.”
Cardi added, “I don’t like this. I’m also struggling,” while holding hands with the said woman.
The rapper added, “How am I gonna get over it?”
Nicola explained that Cardi’s comments and appearance signalled “genuine emotional difficulty rather than pre-event nerves” ahead of her performance at the party.
This comes as it was noticed that the rapper and Diggs have unfollowed each other on Instagram.
The couple were first linked on February 14, 2025 when they were seen arriving at a Miami hotel together. They went Instagram official in June and Cardi announced that they were expecting a baby in September.
They welcomed ababy boy in November 2025.
Cardi B is also mom to Kulture, 7, Wave, 4, and Blossom, 17 months, all of whom she shares with ex-husband Offset.
‘Rosh-e-Qalandar’ organised at Arts Council of Pakistan to mark artist’s 39th death anniversary
KARACHI:
An art exhibition titled “Rosh-e-Qalandar” was organised at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi to mark the 39th death anniversary of renowned Pakistani artist Sadequain, bringing together artists, art enthusiasts and cultural figures to pay tribute to one of the country’s most celebrated painters.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Sindh’s Minister for Culture, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, alongside Arts Council President Ahmed Shah. Curated by Farukh Shahab, Chairman of the Fine Art Committee, the exhibition features artworks inspired by Sadequain’s internationally acclaimed paintings.
A total of 27 artworks by contemporary artists have been displayed, reflecting Sadequain’s artistic legacy and influence on modern Pakistani art. Participating artists include Masood A. Khan, A.S. Rind, Moeen Farooqui, Tanveer Farooqui, Khalid Khan, G.N. Qazi, Munawar Ali Syed, Faheem Rao, Arif Hussain Khokhar, Imran Zaib, S.M. Raza, Muhammad Kashif, Shamsuddin, Qasim Bugti, Amina Khan, Zeenat Khan, Akash Jeevraj, Kiran Aslam, Zoya Abbas, Sohana Ilyas and Asim Naqvi.
Speaking at the event, Culture Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah said the exhibition had been organised to honour Sadequain’s artistic contributions and to introduce younger generations to his work. He noted that artists from across Pakistan had participated, interpreting Sadequain’s iconic themes through their own artistic expression.
He described Sadequain’s work as globally recognised, adding that many of his original pieces are now rare and no longer accessible. He emphasised the need to promote the work of Pakistani artists to strengthen the country’s cultural identity internationally and encouraged young artists to learn from the legacy of master painters like Sadequain.
The exhibition also drew a large number of artists and members of the art community. Officials said that art exhibitions at the Arts Council continue to provide an important platform for emerging talent.
Known for his monumental murals and distinctive calligraphic style, Sadequain remains one of Pakistan’s most influential artists, whose work continues to inspire generations. Organisers also announced plans to hold a conference in his name and to establish a permanent gallery dedicated to his legacy.
Sadequain was born on 30 June 1930 in Amroha, into a family of calligraphers. He, along with his family members, had migrated to Pakistan during the 1947 partition, residing in the Nazimabad neighbourhood of Karachi.
In late 1940s he joined the Progressive Writers’ and Artists Movement. His true talent was discovered by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy who brought Sadequain into the limelight. He also spent some time in Paris augmenting his skills.
Sadequain was widely praised for his calligraphy by many critics of South Asian art. He was part of a broader Islamic art movement, known as the Hurufiyya movement, which emerged independently across North Africa and parts of Asia in the 1950s.
Hurufiyah refers to the attempt by artists to combine traditional art forms, notably calligraphy as a graphic element within a contemporary artwork.
Hurufiyah artists rejected Western art concepts, and instead searched for a new visual languages that reflected their own culture and heritage. These artists successfully transformed calligraphy into a modern aesthetic, which was both contemporary and indigenous.
Prior to Sadequain’s work, only a few painters had experimented with the medium in Pakistan. Sadequain is a pioneer of the style, bringing calligraphy into a mainstream art form, and influencing subsequent generations of Pakistani artists.
Sadequain was a social commentator, and preferred to paint on public buildings instead of private ones that were owned by the wealthy.
He did not like the idea that if he was painting for the wealthy, then his art would only be enjoyed by a small percentage, leaving out all of the public. His murals are densely filled and tightly packed with images to render adequately the lofty subject.
His monumental murals, in excess of thirty-five, adorn the halls of State Bank, Frere Hall Karachi; Lahore Museum; Punjab University; Mangla Dam; Aligarh Muslim University; Banaras Hindu University; Indian Institute of Geological Sciences; Islamic Institute in Delhi, and Abu Dhabi Power House, among others.
His paintings and calligraphies in the building of the Islamic Institute in Delhi alone cover more than seven thousand square feet. Sadequain painted his earliest murals at Jinnah Hospital and PIA headquarters in the 1950s. These murals have disappeared and their fate is unknown.
The trailer of the upcoming Pakistani film Aag Lage Basti Mein, starring Mahira Khan and Fahad Mustafa, has been unveiled ahead of its scheduled Eid-ul-Fitr release, drawing attention from across the country’s entertainment industry.
The film, written and directed by Bilal Atif Khan, blends comedy, action and romance, and is positioned as a commercial entertainer aimed at festive audiences.
The story follows Barkat, played by Fahad Mustafa, an honest but struggling man, and his wife Almaas, portrayed by Mahira Khan, who grows frustrated with what she sees as his idealistic approach to life. Their relationship forms the emotional core of a narrative that moves between domestic tensions and criminal misadventure.
The trailer features action sequences, humour and glimpses of the couple’s strained marriage, including scenes suggesting Barkat’s involvement in crime may lead to serious consequences.
The film also marks the mainstream cinema debut of social media personality Samra Shehzadi, who rose to prominence online through viral content. Speaking at the trailer launch, she described her first film appearance as an emotional and exciting experience.
Veteran actor Salahuddin Tunio, Fahad Mustafa’s father, will share screen space with his son for the first time. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Mustafa said a scene in which his father slapped him carried emotional significance, adding that he continues to learn from him as an actor.
“There was a scene in which someone had to slap me, and that slap came from my father a slap filled with love and blessings. I have been working with my father since a very young age. I have been slapped in dramas before as well”
Mahira Khan said the role was different from characters she has previously portrayed. She noted that the brief required her to play a more confrontational personality, something she said did not come naturally to her, but added that the strength of the script helped her prepare for the role.
“Bilal insisted and said this role was meant for me and that I could do it. So, I spent a lot of time observing people and preparing for the character. The truth is, the script was written so well that it made the process easier.”
The supporting cast includes Javed Sheikh as a crime boss and comedian Tabish Hashmi in a negative role.
Speaking at the event, Fahad Mustafa described the film as a “paisa vasool” entertainer, while Javed Sheikh said audiences would appreciate its storyline and cinematic appeal.
‘Aag Lage Basti Mein’ is scheduled for release in cinemas across Pakistan on Eid-ul-Fitr.
US singer had been represented by ‘Wasserman’ which boasts other high-profile clients
Chappell Roan. Photo: file
WASHINGTON:
US singer-songwriter Chappell Roan announced on Monday that she had left her talent agency, after its CEO was named in files related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA), passed overwhelmingly by Congress in November, compelled the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all of the documents in its possession related to the disgraced financier.
Roan, 27, had been represented by “Wasserman,” an agency that boasts a number of high-profile clients, including Adam Sandler and Brad Pitt, and is led by Casey Wasserman, who is also the chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
In an Instagram post on Monday, Roan said that “no artist, agent or employee should be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.”
“I have deep respect and appreciation for the agents and staff who work tirelessly for their artists and I refuse to stand by,” she added.
The Grammy winner noted that “artists deserve representation that aligns with their values” and the decision “reflects my belief that meaningful change in our industry requires accountability and leadership that earns trust.”
Roan made no mention of Epstein himself or the Epstein files in the statement announcing her departure from the talent agency.
Wasserman in a statement last month acknowledged what appeared to be a series of flirty and sexually suggestive emails he exchanged in 2003 with Ghislaine Maxwell.
Maxwell was sentenced to two decades in prison in 2022 for her role in a scheme to sexually exploit and abuse multiple minor girls with Epstein.
Wasserman, 51, who was married at the time of his flirtations with Maxwell, has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the Epstein scandal.
For decades, humanoid robots have lived behind safety cages in factories or deep inside research labs. Fauna Robotics, a New York-based robotics startup, says that era is ending.
The company has introduced Sprout, a compact humanoid robot designed from the ground up to operate around people. Instead of adapting an industrial robot for public spaces, Fauna built Sprout specifically for homes, schools, offices, retail spaces and entertainment venues.
“Sprout is a humanoid platform designed from first principles to operate around people,” the company said. “This is a new category of robot built for the spaces where we live, work, and play.” That philosophy drives nearly every design choice behind Sprout.
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Fauna Robotics’ founders started with a simple idea. If robots are going to become part of daily life, they must move naturally around humans and earn trust through safety and reliability. Most humanoid robots today focus on industrial efficiency or controlled research environments. Fauna is targeting a different reality. Service industries now make up the majority of the global workforce. At the same time, labor shortages continue to grow in healthcare, education, hospitality and eldercare. Sprout is designed to explore how humanoid robots could support those spaces without creating new safety risks or operational headaches.
The robot uses onboard sensing and navigation to move confidently through indoor spaces without needing safety cages or fixed paths.(Fauna Robotics)
Sprout is a safety-first humanoid robot built for people
Standing about 3.5 feet tall, Sprout fits naturally into human spaces instead of towering over them. At roughly 50 pounds, it carries less kinetic energy during movement or contact, which makes close interaction safer by design. Lightweight materials and a soft-touch exterior further reduce risk. The design avoids sharp edges and limits pinch points, allowing the robot to operate near people without safety cages. Quiet motors and smooth movement also reduce noise and help Sprout feel less intimidating in shared spaces.
Rather than complex multi-fingered hands, Sprout uses simple one-degree-of-freedom grippers. This approach lowers weight and improves durability while still supporting practical tasks like object fetching, hand-offs, and basic shared-space interaction. Flexible arms and legs allow the robot to walk, kneel, and crawl. Sprout can also fall and recover without damaging sensitive components. In everyday environments, where conditions are rarely perfect, that resilience matters.
Under the hood, Sprout uses a highly articulated body with 29 degrees of freedom to support smooth movement and expressive gestures. Onboard NVIDIA compute provides the processing power needed for perception, navigation, and human-robot interaction without relying on external systems. A battery that supports several hours of active use makes Sprout practical for research, development, and real-world testing in shared human spaces.
Built for natural human-robot interaction
Sprout’s expressive face helps it communicate in a way people can quickly understand. Simple facial cues show what the robot is doing and how it is feeling, so you do not need technical knowledge to follow along. The robot can walk, kneel, crawl, and recover from falls, which helps it move naturally in everyday spaces. Because its motors are quiet, and its movements are smooth, Sprout feels less startling and more predictable when it is nearby. Behind the scenes, Sprout supports teleoperation, mapping and navigation. These tools give developers the building blocks to create interactions that feel intuitive and human, not stiff or mechanical.
Instead of complex hands, Sprout uses simple, durable grippers that prioritize safety while still handling everyday tasks like hand-offs and object pickup.(Fauna Robotics)
A modular software platform for rapid development
Sprout runs on a modular software system that is built to grow over time. Developers get stable controls along with tools for deployment, monitoring, and data collection, so they can focus on building new ideas instead of managing the robot itself. As new abilities improve, Fauna can add them through software updates rather than redesigning the hardware. This keeps costs down and helps Sprout stay useful longer as technology evolves. Fauna also kept sensing simple. Sprout uses head-mounted RGB-D sensors instead of wrist cameras, which reduces complexity and maintenance. At the same time, it still gives the robot a strong perception for moving and working safely in shared spaces.
Who Sprout is designed for
Fauna positions Sprout as a developer-first humanoid platform rather than a finished consumer product. It is designed for developers who want to build and test applications on accessible hardware with full SDK access and built-in movement, perception, navigation, and expression. At the same time, enterprises can use Sprout to create next-generation AI applications that operate safely in places like retail, hospitality, and offices. Researchers can also use the platform to study locomotion, manipulation, autonomy, and human-robot interaction without building a robot from scratch. Together, these uses point to real-world deployments across retail and hospitality, consumer and home settings, research and education, and entertainment experiences.
What this means for you
Even if you never plan to build a robot, Sprout signals a shift in how robotics companies think about everyday life. Humanoid robots are no longer being designed only for factories and labs. Companies like Fauna are betting that the future of robotics depends on safety, trust, and natural interaction in human spaces. If successful, platforms like Sprout could lead to robots that assist in classrooms, support hospitality staff, help researchers move faster and create interactive experiences that feel less robotic and more human.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Sprout is not trying to replace workers or flood homes with machines overnight. Instead, Fauna is laying the groundwork for a future where humanoid robots earn their place through careful design and responsible deployment. By prioritizing safety, simplicity, and developer collaboration, Sprout represents a quieter but potentially more meaningful step forward in humanoid robotics. The real test will be how developers and researchers use the platform and whether people feel comfortable sharing space with robots like Sprout.
Would you trust a humanoid robot to work beside you in a school, hotel, or office if it were designed for safety first? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
As U.S.-Iran diplomacy remains primarily focused on Tehran’s nuclear program, Israeli officials and analysts warn that ballistic missiles remain a central red line for Jerusalem and could shape any decision on unilateral action.
Before departing for his trip to Washington, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he plans to press Israel’s priorities in the talks. “I will present to the president our views regarding the principles of the negotiations — the important principles — and, in my view, they are important not only for Israel, but for anyone in the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East.”
Those priorities, Israeli officials say, extend beyond the nuclear file and include Iran’s missile capabilities. Israeli defense officials have recently warned U.S. counterparts that Iran’s ballistic missile program constitutes an existential threat to Israel and that Jerusalem is prepared to act alone if necessary, according to reporting by The Jerusalem Post.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boards his plane for Washington, D.C., ahead of a meeting with President Trump. Feb. 10, 2025.(Avi Ohayon/Government Press Office)
The outlet reported that Israeli security officials conveyed in recent weeks their intent to dismantle Iran’s missile capabilities and production infrastructure through a series of high-level exchanges with Washington. Military planners outlined potential operational concepts aimed at degrading the program, including strikes on key manufacturing and development sites.
A spokesperson for Israel’s defense minister declined to comment on the issue.
Sima Shine, a former senior Israeli intelligence official and current senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, told Fox News Digital that limiting talks to the nuclear issue risks missing what Israel considers the broader threat.
Israel’s air defense targets Iranian missiles in the sky over Tel Aviv, on June 16, 2025.(Matan Golan/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
“If negotiations deal only with the nuclear file and ignore the missiles, Israel will remain exposed,” Shine said. “Iran treats its ballistic missile program as its main deterrence and will not give it up.” She stressed that Tehran views them as a defensive and deterrent capability dictated by the supreme leader. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country would not negotiate on its ballistic missile program, rejecting a core U.S. demand and further dimming prospects for a breakthrough deal. Shine described that stance as a fundamental red line for Israel.
She also warned that Tehran may be stalling diplomatically while assessing whether Washington will limit the talks to nuclear constraints alone.
“They have room to show flexibility on enrichment,” she said, noting that activity slowed after strikes on facilities, “but missiles are different. That they would not discuss.”
Israeli concerns extend beyond the negotiating table. A former intelligence official familiar with strategic planning said Israel retains the capability to strike independently if necessary.
“If missiles become the central public demand, it may look as if Israel is pushing the U.S. toward military action,” she said. “If that fails, Israel could be blamed.”
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meet ahead of the U.S.-Iran talks, in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on Feb. 6, 2026. (Oman Foreign Ministry/Anadolu via Getty Images)
She added that Iran’s missile arsenal is not aimed solely at Israel but forms part of a broader deterrence strategy against the United States and regional adversaries.
For Israel, the implication is clear. A nuclear agreement that leaves Iran’s missile infrastructure untouched could be seen in Jerusalem as stabilizing the regime while leaving the most immediate threat in place. That calculation, Israeli analysts say, defines the red line.
Efrat Lachter is a world reporter for Fox News Digital covering international affairs and the United Nations. Follow her on X @efratlachter. Stories can be sent to efrat.lachter@fox.com.
Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11 matches will also be hosted in Peshawar, following a decision taken during a high-level meeting to review the overall law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The decision was made during a meeting attended by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, representatives of the federal government, and senior civil and military officials.
According to officials, the meeting focused on key matters related to the province’s economy and security situation. After reviewing the arrangements, authorities approved hosting PSL 11 matches in Peshawar.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Shafi Jan, Adviser on Finance Muzammil Aslam, and Law Minister Aftab Alam said the meeting resulted in important decisions aimed at promoting sporting activities and normalcy in the province.
It is pertinent to note that renovation work, including the installation of floodlights at Arbab Niaz Stadium (Imran Khan Stadium), has recently been completed. The upgraded facilities are intended to enable the hosting of PSL fixtures as well as future international cricket matches in Peshawar.
The Government has “two months to save the UK steel industry”, a director of the country’s biggest steel firm has warned.
Russell Codling, director of markets business development at Tata Steel UK, warned MPs on Tuesday that the sector is “teetering on the brink” and needs urgent state support.
He told Parliament’s Business and Trade Committee that the sector is at threat due to fears of further cheap Chinese imports flooding the market.
“At the moment to date, whilst the UK Government is working very hard on this, we are not in a position to be protecting the UK industry, which is putting the UK steel industry at severe threat,” the boss said.
He called on the Government to follow the footsteps of the EU and US, with import tariffs designed to benefit regional steel sectors.
Currently, there are safeguards in place imposing a 25% tariff on specific imported steel products, but this expires in June.
Tata called for immediate action from the Government to announce a replacement system or extent the current safeguards.
Mr Codling added: “Frankly speaking, the UK Government has two months to save the UK steel industry because this is a death knell for the industry at large and its supply chains.
“If the UK doesn’t act we won’t have a steel industry not many months from now.
“We need action, we need action now, that needs to be in position by July 1.”
