Manchester City midfielder Rodri admits he would find it difficult to turn down a move to Real Madrid.

The 29-year-old has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world during his time at City, helping Pep Guardiola’s side win 11 major trophies including four Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Rodri suffered a cruciate ligament injury in September 2024 and completed just two Premier League games in 2025.

But since the New Year, the Spain international has played on a more consistent basis and delivered an impressive performance in City’s 2-0 win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final last Sunday.

Rodri will have just a year remaining on his contract with City at the end of the season and in an interview with Spanish radio station Onda Cero on Wednesday evening, the midfielder made it clear that he would welcome a move to Madrid.

Asked if he would like to return to La Liga, Rodri replied: ‘I’d like to return, yes, obviously.

‘For me, La Liga is where I started. I still follow it, it’s true not as much as before, but I still follow it.

‘And I have to admit that the Premier League is my weakness. I think it’s a thrilling league but at the same time very demanding, meaning it pushes you to the limit. I’ve been there for seven years now, and I’m noticing the passage of time, but for the moment I’m very happy there.

‘I’m currently recovering from an injury, and what worries me right now is my feeling, my level, how to get back to my previous level. Not the contract issue, that will come, especially with a World Cup coming up, which is crucial for reaching my level.

‘Right now I’m free, well, obviously I have a year left on my contract, obviously there will be a point where we’ll have to sit down and talk, have a conversation.’

Asked if he would turn down a move to Real Madrid because he has already played for Atletico, Rodri replied: ‘No, I mean, there have been many players who have gone down that path, right? And especially not directly, but over time.

‘I mean, for me, you can’t turn down the best clubs in the world.

‘They have a fanbase that really goes all out for them, and for me, the Bernabeu is always incredible, a stadium that’s very imposing.’

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The winner of the clash in beautiful Bergamo faces a World Cup play-off final against either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina next week

Gennaro Gattuso says Italy are bracing for a long-ball assault from opponents who will be “frothing at the mouth” when they face Northern Ireland tonight.

The Azzurri boss has told his players they must be prepared to suffer if they want to beat Michael O’Neill’s team in Bergamo and reach the World Cup play-off final against either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The former Rangers star said: “We’ve analysed seven or eight games — and I think that Northern Ireland’s main characteristic is this: a team that strongly believes in everything they do, that attacks you on second balls, they like to play vertically.

“They consistently throw the ball into the box, playing 70 and 80 yard passes with eight or nine players with an incredible hunger to score. They play on second balls, they know how to handle them, and we have to be good at that.

“They’re certainly a team that when they get the ball in the air, whether from set pieces or crosses, are incredible, because they have an incredible ruthlessness in this area, and these are Northern Ireland’s main qualities.

“We have to be ready, both physically and mentally, to face players who will be frothing at the mouth.

“Northern Ireland’s players fight for every ball as if it is the last ball of their lives. You have to understand it well, you have to know how to suffer.”

Nobody does history quite like the Italians. But even by their standards, Bergamo is special. Nestled in the foothills of snow-capped mountains, it’s a town of almost implausible beauty.

On Thursday night, however, the worry for the locals is that things could turn ugly.

For the thing about history is that, while it can swell the chest with pride, it can also burden the shoulders, depending on the gravity of the situation.

And for Italy, the situation is grave; lose tonight against Northern Ireland, and the four-time world champions will have failed to reach football’s biggest stage for the third time in a row.

As visiting boss Michael O’Neill put it: “We are the team with everything to gain. They are the team with everything to lose. Their players will have to deal with that.”

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As the manager of an underdog team, facing one of the game’s heavy-hitters on their own turf, the wily O’Neill knows psychology can be a huge factor in this World Cup play-off semi-final.

Ghosts lurk in the recent collective memory of the Azzurri. Haunted by failures against Sweden in 2018 and, more shockingly, North Macedonia in 2022, the boys in blue will look to perform an exorcism at the New Balance Arena tonight.

O’Neill isn’t shy about leaning into the fact that the heat is on the home side.

“The pressure of managing Italy is a lot different from the pressure of managing Northern Ireland.

“I have admiration for Gennaro coming in and taking the job when he did, after the previous manager left after two games.

“His results have been good, he’s had five wins and then a defeat in their last game, in Milan against Norway, 4-1.

“That’s the last game that they’ve played and it’s difficult because you can carry that result for a period of time.”

O’Neill’s young side, backed by their loyal Green and White Army in the stands, have the energy and enthusiasm to get about the Italians, to frustrate them and prey on any doubts.

He added: “It’s important for us to keep the game tight, to make sure that the game’s not too open. Italy will expect us to play it that way.

“The longer the game stays at 0-0, the more difficult it always becomes for the team with the expectation on them.

“The most important thing is we play the game in phases. We anticipate a tough start to the game but we also know we can carry a threat, whether that’s from open play or from set-piece situations.

“Italy have to deal with the situation they have but we don’t expect to come here and have a high-scoring game.

“The one thing we can’t lack as a team is desire and competitiveness.

“What we have in our team is real athleticism. The benefit of young players is that they like to run for long periods in the game and I think that will be a key feature. We have to make sure that we show the best side of ourselves in all of the duels and the physicality of the game.

“But obviously we have to demonstrate quality and use the ball effectively.”

Italy manager Gattuso will recognise and admire those qualities; as a player he had them in abundance, and was a vital cog in his country’s World Cup-winning team alongside the more lavishly gifted Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero and Andrea Pirlo.

His squad boasts no individuals of that calibre, yet it would be foolhardy to think they won’t have enough about them to dominate the majority of this contest.

Discipline, courage and a dose of good fortune will be essential for Northern Ireland.

Overlooking the battlefield is one of Bergamo’s many beauties: the Venetian Walls, built in 1561 to protect the city from enemy attacks. Yet one reason this Unesco World Heritage Site retains such grandeur is that the walls were never actually involved in a siege, never had their structure and integrity tested by bombardment and battering rams.

O’Neill’s men know they won’t have that luxury on Thursday night.

Possible teams:

NI: P Charles; Spencer, McNair, Brown, Hume; Galbraith, S Charles, McCann, Price, Donley, Charles.

ITALY: Donnarumma; Calafiori, Mancini, Bastoni; Palestra, Locatelli, Tonali, Barella, DiMarco; Kean, Retegui

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Transportation Security Administration may have to shut down operations at some airports if the budget impasse drags on, the agency’s acting head said Wednesday, even as record wait time for travelers did little to end the standoff over the funding fight in Congress.

The TSA’s Ha Nguyen McNeill described the mounting hardships facing unpaid airport workers — piling up bills and eviction notices, even plasma donations to make ends meet — and warned that lawmakers must ensure “this never happens again.”

“This is a dire situation,” she testified at a House hearing, warning of potential airport closures. “At this point, we have to look at all options on the table. And that does require us to, at some point, make very difficult choices as to which airports we might try to keep open and which ones we might have to shut down as our callout rates increase.”

Yet on the 40th day of the standoff involving the Department of Homeland Security, there was no easy way out in sight. Neither Republican senators, who made the latest offer, nor Democrats, who countered by reiterating their demands for changes to President Donald Trump ‘s immigration enforcement operations, appeared closer to a compromise.

Trump, who initially appeared to have given his nod to the deal, has declined to lend it his full support or put his political weight behind making sure it is approved.

Top officials at agencies under the DHS umbrella spoke for more than three-hours before the House Homeland Security Committee about the potential risks of security lapses unless the partial government shutdown comes to an end.

A deal teeters on collapse

DHS has gone without routine funding since mid-February. Democrats are insisting on changes to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and mass deportation operations after the killings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis by federal officers during protests.

The latest GOP proposal would fund most of DHS except for the enforcement and removal operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that have been central to the debate. The plan would provide money for other aspects of ICE as well as Customs and Border Protection.

While the offer added some new restraints on immigration officers, including the use of body cameras, it excluded other policies that Democrats have demanded, such as requirements that federal agents wear identification and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said they needed to see real changes. “We’ve been talking about ICE reforms from day one,” he said.

Republican leaders said Democrats are putting the country at risk.

“They know this is crazy,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

But conservative Republicans also panned the proposal, demanding full funding for immigration operations and skeptical of the promise from GOP leaders that they would address Trump’s proof-of-citizenship voting bill in a subsequent legislative package.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said late Wednesday that if Democrats put a “more realistic offer on the table, we’ll be back in business.”

Airport lines grow

as TSA workers endure hardships

McNeill, the acting TSA administrator, told lawmakers that multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates and more than 480 transportation security officers have now quit during the shutdown.

She cited the growing financial strain on the TSA workforce.

“Some are sleeping in their cars, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on second jobs to make ends meet, all while being expected to perform at the highest level when in uniform to protect the traveling public,” she said.

McNeil also said TSA officers working at the nation’s airports have experienced a more than 500% increase in the frequency of assaults since the shutdown began.

“This is unacceptable and it will not be tolerated,” McNeill said.

The top executive overseeing Houston’s airport said security lines that have travelers waiting four hours or more could get longer if the political impasse was not soon settled.

Lines that twist and turn across multiple floors at George Bush Intercontinental Airport have been the result of TSA only being able to staff one-third to one-half the usual number of checkpoint lines, said Jim Szczesniak, aviation director for Houston’s airport system.

Trump’s decision to send ICE agents to the airports risks inflaming the situation, lawmakers have said. Video footage of federal officers detaining a crying woman at San Francisco International Airport drew outrage Monday from local officials, although it was unrelated to Trump’s order to deploy immigration officers.

FEMA also at risk

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund is “rapidly depleting,” Victoria Barton, a FEMA external affairs official, told lawmakers.

FEMA is able to continue its disaster response and recovery work as long as that fund has money, and about 10,000 of its disaster workers continue being paid through it.

___

Associated Press writers Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Russ Bynum in Houston and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been pictured taking her close adviser, Corey Lewandowski, on an official visit to South America amid claims the two are having a taxpayer-funded affair.

The U.S. Embassy in Guyana shared photos of Noem’s visit, where in two of which Lewandowski was pictured sitting next to her, Wednesday.

“Kristi Noem held a meeting with His Excellency President Irfaan Ali and Guyanese government officials to reaffirm the enduring U.S.-Guyana partnership,” the embassy wrote on X. “Their discussions focused on joint efforts to disrupt cartel and transnational criminal activity, strengthen border security, discourage illegal immigration, and promote economic opportunity.”

Earlier this month, Donald Trump announced that Noem’s tenure leading the Homeland Security Department, in which she oversaw the president’s massive immigration crackdown, was ending. Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma was subsequently confirmed by the Senate and sworn into the role.

Despite her ouster from the Homeland Security Department, Trump is keeping Noem in his orbit, albeit in a diminished role by appointing her the special envoy to his new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere called “The Shield of Americas.”

The initiative brings together leaders of several South American countries to commit to stopping drug cartels. Guyana was one stop on Noem’s tour, where she also visited the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica and Ecuador, according to Reuters.

Noem and Lewandowski traveled on a Homeland Security Department plane, Reuters reported. The department would not confirm the “whereabouts of our plane” to the publication.

The Independent has reached out to the State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Guyana and the Homeland Security Department for comment.

Noem and Lewandowski’s relationship has been scrutinized over allegations that the pair, who are both married to other people, are having an affair. Both have denied the rumors.

During a House Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this month, Noem was asked by Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a California Democrat, minutes after Noem’s husband, Bryon, left the room, “At any time during you tenure as director of the Department of Homeland Security, have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?”

“I am shocked we are going down and peddling tabloid garbage today at this committee,” Noem replied.

Photos of Lewandowski by Noem’s side on her trip have sparked backlash online.

Meghan McCain, a conservative media personality and the daughter of the late Republican Senator John McCain, wrote on X, “Kristi Noem – you brought Corey Lewendowski [sic] with you to Guyana after just being fired from your last job after being asked in front of congress if you’re in an unprofessional relationship with him….

“GIRL WHAT IS YOU DOING?!?”

Billy Binion, a reporter for the libertarian Reason magazine, wrote, “Why are my taxpayer dollars funding Corey Lewandowski’s travel to Guyana? How is that remotely acceptable?”

“Nice to see Corey Lewandowski continuing his work with the ambassador to the shield of the Americas,” CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski wrote.

Olivia Gazis, intelligence and national security reporter for CBS News, wrote that U.S. and state officials told the outlet Lewandowski is not employed by the State Department and there is no job lined up for him there in the future.

The officials added that the photos of Noem with Lewandowski are not from a State Department trip, adding that Noem departed for South America days ago while still in her capacity as Homeland Security secretary.

Motorists not familiar with the Highway Code may be unaware of rule 248, which could see anyone parking on the road outside their home fined.

Highway Code Rule 248 says: “You must not park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space.”

This is because your car’s front headlights and indicators don’t have the same reflective properties as the rear reflectors, making it a potential hazard to other road users, especially in poorly lit areas.

UK speed limits explained

The RAC says: “The Highway Code isn’t the law, but many of its rules are in fact legal requirements under the Roads Traffic Act, which you can be prosecuted for contravening.

“You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence, disqualified from driving, or even sent to prison.”

This is what the Highway Code says for parking on the road:

• Do not park facing against the traffic flow
• Stop as close as possible to the roadside
• Do not park too close to a vehicle displaying a Blue Badge
• The engine, headlights and fog lights must be switched off
• The handbrake must be applied before leaving the car
• You must look out for other road users when you open your door
• Passengers should exit the vehicle on the side next to the kerb
• Valuables should be out of sight and the car locked

The RAC also warns drivers to use parking lights on roads with a speed limit higher than 30mph.

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They said: “Parking lights must be used on a road or layby on a highway with a speed limit higher than 30mph.

“Check your vehicle’s handbook to find out how to operate them: often, they are engaged by clicking the indicator stalk either left or right as you leave the car, but some models have dedicated parking light buttons.”

Mo Rafique, a Vehicle Security Expert from Motor Guards UK, added: “Drivers often think they’re safe as long as they’re not on a double yellow line.

“But this rule is about safety, not convenience. Parking the wrong way at night means your car’s rear reflectors, which are designed to catch the headlights of oncoming cars, are completely useless. It becomes an invisible hazard.

“Many drivers are shocked when they receive a fine for this.

“They’ve likely been doing it for years without an issue, but as traffic enforcement becomes smarter, these lesser-known rules are being more strictly applied.

“The key to avoiding a fine is to take a few extra seconds to turn your car around before you park.”

Featuring shows from the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Ballet & Opera and National Theatre Live, audiences can enjoy world-class stage productions from the comfort of their local Vue.

To celebrate World Theatre Day on March 27, Vue Hamilton is highlighting upcoming theatre and opera productions showing on the big screen.

Featuring shows from the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Ballet & Opera and National Theatre Live, audiences can enjoy world-class stage productions from the comfort of their local Vue.

From the Royal Ballet & Opera is a classic from Wagner, Siegfried. Screening on March 31, follow the titular character as he navigates self-discovery, mythical creatures and long-hidden secrets.

On April 16, Arthur Miller’s powerful drama All My Sons arrives on the big screen via National Theatre Live. Set in post-war America, the gripping play centres on a successful family business whose past decisions during wartime begin to resurface, forcing those involved to confront questions of responsibility, guilt and moral compromise.

Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste feature in the five-star, triumphantly acclaimed production.

For those looking for something more magical, on April 21, the Royal Ballet & Opera’s enchanting production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute promises a visually spectacular experience.

This beloved opera blends comedy, romance and fantasy as Prince Tamino embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Pamina, guided by the mysterious power of a magical flute and accompanied by the unforgettable bird-catcher Papageno.

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Rounding off the programme on April 30 is the dazzling musical favourite Funny Girl – The Musical. The beloved production tells the story of legendary performer Fanny Brice and her rise to fame, featuring iconic songs including Don’t Rain on My Parade and People, as it charts Brice’s journey from ambitious performer to Broadway star.

A Vue Hamilton spokesperson said: “World Theatre Day is a celebration of the creativity, passion and artistry that make live performance so special.

“These screenings bring the magic of some of the world’s greatest stages directly to the big screen.

“From powerful operatic epics to unforgettable drama and musicals, we are proud to give theatre lovers a chance to experience incredible performances in a new way.”

To find out more, visit www.myvue.com/big-screen-events.

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LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — Two teenage boys who used artificial intelligence to create fake nude photos of their classmates at an exclusive private school in Pennsylvania received probation Wednesday after dozens of victims described the images’ traumatizing effect on them.

The boys were 14 at the time. They admitted this month that they made about 350 images, showing at least 59 girls under 18, along with other victims who so far have not been identified.

Authorities and the girls themselves said the boys took images of the girls from school photos, yearbooks, Instagram, TikTok and FaceTime chats in 2023 and 2024, and morphed them with images of adults depicting nudity or sexual activity.

More than 100 students and parents from Lancaster Country Day School were in court to hear victims describe the shock of having to identify their own faces in pornographic photos to detectives. Juvenile proceedings in Pennsylvania are normally closed, but this was opened by the judge, providing an unusual opportunity for the community to be seen and heard.

The resolution of the Pennsylvania case comes days after three teenagers in Tennessee sued Elon Musk’s xAI, claiming the company’s Grok tools morphed their real photos into explicitly sexual images. The high school students are seeking class-action status to represent what the lawsuit says are thousands of people who were similarly victimized as minors.

The scandal in Pennsylvania led to a student protest, criminal charges against the two teenagers and the departure of leaders at the school, which says it has about 600 students K-12, class sizes averaging just 12 kids, and “an endowment in excess of $25 million.”

Nadeem Bezar, a Philadelphia lawyer who represents at least 10 of the victims, said Tuesday he expects to file a claim “against the school and anybody else we think has culpability in these deepfakes being created and disseminated.”

He said he has not yet seen the photos but expects the legal process to determine “exactly when and where and how the school knew, how the boys created these images, what platforms they used to create these images and how they were disseminated.”

As AI has become accessible and powerful, lawmakers across the country have passed laws aimed at barring deepfakes.

President Donald Trump signed the Take it Down Act last year, making it illegal to publish intimate images including deepfakes without consent, and requiring websites and social media sites to remove such material within 48 hours of being notified by a victim.

Forty-six states now have laws addressing deepfakes, with legislation introduced in the remaining four — Alaska, Missouri, New Mexico and Ohio — according to the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. ___

Associated Press writers Geoff Mulvihill in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed.

Donald Trump’s claim that members of his administration are negotiating with Iran on the ongoing conflict has caused more confusion than clarity. 

The US president has said multiple times that both sides have had “very good and productive” talks to end the war, which he claims his country has already won.

However, Iran has so far denied that any negotiations have taken place, with the spokesperson for the military mocking the Trump administration, saying in a televised address: “Have your internal conflicts reached the point where you are negotiating with yourselves?”

Iran war latest: Follow live

With barrages of attacks still being launched across the Middle East from Iran, Israel and the US, what exactly do we know about potential negotiation talks and what each side wants?

What has Trump said?

The US president said in a post on Truth Social on 24 March that the two countries had been in “very good and productive conversations” for multiple days.

The declaration of progress came just as a deadline he gave to Iran to release its grip on the Strait of Hormuz – or he would “obliterate Iran’s power plants” – was about to come to an end.

As a result, he instructed the US military to postpone “all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure”.

When quizzed about the talks a day later, Mr Trump said his son-in-law Jared Kushner, his special envoy Steve Witkoff, vice president JD Vance and US secretary of state Marco Rubio were the team involved in the negotiations, as well as himself.

Despite the president’s bold claims on negotiations – and that Tehran had “agreed they’ll never have a nuclear weapon” – sources have told Sky News more than 1,000 extra US soldiers are being deployed to the region.

The president approved the deployment on Monday night, and the orders were being written on Tuesday for the headquarters, staff, and some ground forces, with the additional forces potentially being sent in the coming days.

Who is representing Iran?

Mr Trump has said the country is talking to the “right people” to make a deal, but it remains unknown who exactly those people are.

Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, hasn’t been seen or directly heard from since he was named to replace his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed by the US and Israel during the first days of the conflict.

Other potential figures within the Islamic Republic include Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian.

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‘Negotiating with yourselves’: Iran mocks US

The spokesman of Iran’s top military command, major general Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, vowed that the fighting “will continue until complete victory” a potential defiance to Mr Trump’s claims or a warning to anyone within the Iranian leadership not to back down in talks.

Who is Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf?

Are talks actually happening?

Military analyst Professor Michael Clarke believes that talks are indeed going on, but they are very indirect.

He said it appears that Pakistan’s army chief, general Asim Munir, has mediated over a process similar to “Chinese whispers”.

Professor Clarke said it appears Mr Munir, is speaking directly to Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mr Ghalibaf, who he described as the “last man standing” influencing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

He added that Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif has also spoken to Iranian President Mr Pezeshkian.

The information from both those talks has then been relayed to Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner, Mr Trump’s key diplomatic envoys, who then informed the president.

What does each side want?

Since the start of the war in February, Mr Trump has given vague and often shifting objectives for what he wants to achieve.

Across the nearly month-long conflict, he has insisted on the surrender of Iran’s leaders and the removal of all the country’s enriched uranium, which is critical to its disputed nuclear programme.

Iran has refused that demand in the past, insisting it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.

The announcement of negotiations may be interpreted as a signal that Mr Trump is wary of the war’s possible long-term damage to the US and global economies. Mr Trump has repeatedly demanded the Strait of Hormuz be kept open.

The Iranian regime has reiterated that the key shipping lane remains open and only vessels “belonging to or associated with the aggressors and those participating in their acts of aggression”, namely Israel and the US have restricted access.

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Professor Clarke added that by Mr Trump postponing strikes on key Iranian infrastructure, Iran believes it now has the upper hand, and has started to “lay out their terms for peace”.

But he added there is “zero chance” their terms would be accepted, which include not giving up ballistic missile capabilities and nuclear capabilities.

The 15-point vs 5-point plan

Similar to the war in Ukraine and Gaza, Mr Trump has said the US has put together a 15-point plan for the end of the conflict in Iran.

The plan has been delivered to Iran by intermediaries from Pakistan, who have offered to host renewed negotiations, according to the Associated Press.

While Mr Trump hasn’t given any details of the plan, beyond claiming it involves Iran’s nuclear programme, Israel’s Channel 12 reported it has gathered some of the content, citing a “Western source”.

Some of the reported points include:

Iran has called Mr Trump’s proposal “excessive” adding that Iran will “end the war at a time of its own choosing”.

An official was cited by Iranian state TV as saying that Tehran told the US via an intermediary that it will continue defending itself, setting out five conditions under which Iran would end the war:

• A halt to the “aggression and assassinations”;
• Concrete mechanisms to ensure that Iran will not be attacked again;
• Payment of war damages and reparations;
• An end to the war across all fronts and for all resistance groups involved throughout the region;
• International recognition and guarantees regarding Iran’s authority over the Strait of Hormuz.

What is Pakistan’s role?

Pakistan has offered to host renewed negotiations between Washington and Tehran, according to the Associated Press.

In a post on social media, Prime Minister Mr Sharif said: “Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict.”

He tagged the accounts of Mr Trump, Mr Witkoff and Iran’s foreign minister Mr Araghchi in the post.

According to three officials from Pakistan, Egypt and the Gulf, the US has agreed “in principle” to join talks in the country, while mediators were still working to convince Iran.

Efforts are centred on “trust-building” between the two countries with the aim of reaching a pause in fighting and a “mechanism” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the officials said.

Is Israel involved?

Notably, Israel is not involved in the move for negotiations.

Israel has previously depicted itself as following Mr Trump’s lead on the conflict but it has still pursued its own war aims beyond those of the US.

Read more from Sky News:
Who is behind mystery oil bet?
Why are zombie ships suddenly appearing in the Strait of Hormuz?

In a statement on Monday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged Mr Trump’s diplomatic efforts but said Israel would continue to strike its enemies for the time being.

An end to the war in Iran would also not guarantee an end to Israel’s campaign in Lebanon. There, Israel has seized a new opportunity to try to crush Hezbollah after the militants fired rockets in support of Iran.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Meta and YouTube must pay millions in damages to a 20-year-old woman after a jury decided the social media giant and video streamer designed their platforms to hook young users without concern for their well being.

The California jury’s decision Wednesday in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit could influence the outcome of thousands of similar lawsuits accusing social media companies of deliberately causing harm.

The plaintiff, known by her initials KGM, testified at trial that she became addicted to social media as a child and that this addiction exacerbated her mental health struggles. After more than 40 hours of deliberations, a majority of jurors agreed and awarded her $3 million in damages.

Jurors later recommended an additional $3 million in punitive damages after deciding the companies acted with malice, oppression or fraud in harming children with their platforms. The judge has final say over how much damages are awarded.

It’s the second verdict against Meta this week, after a jury in New Mexico determined the company harms children’s mental health and safety, in violation of state law.

Meta, the parent of Instagram and Facebook, and Google-owned YouTube issued statements disagreeing with the verdict and vowed to explore their legal options, which include appeals.

Google spokesperson Jose Castañeda said the verdict misrepresents YouTube “which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site.” A Meta spokesperson said teen mental health is “profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app.”

Meta and YouTube were the two remaining defendants in the case. TikTok and Snap settled before the trial began.

One juror, who did not feel comfortable sharing her full name, said to reporters outside the courtroom that Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony, and how he “changed it back and forth,” did not “sit well” with the jury.

She also said they landed on the $6 million in damages even though some jurors were advocating for a higher amount because they were concerned about giving the sole plaintiff a larger lump sum all at once. But the jury still wanted the companies to understand they felt their practices were not acceptable.

“We wanted them to feel it,” she said.

Jurors listened to about a month of lawyers’ arguments, testimony and evidence, and they heard from Kaley, as well as Meta leaders Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri. YouTube’s CEO, Neal Mohan, was not called to testify.

Kaley said she began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9. She told the jury she was on social media “all day long” as a child.

Lawyers representing Kaley, led by Mark Lanier, were tasked with proving that the respective defendants’ negligence was a substantial factor in causing Kaley’s harm. They pointed to specific design features they said are designed to “hook” young users, like the “infinite” nature of feeds that allowed for an endless supply of content, autoplay features, and notifications.

The jurors were told not to take into account the content of the posts and videos Kaley viewed because tech companies are shielded from legal responsibility for posted content, based on Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.

Social media identified as substantial factor in causing harm

Meta argued that Kaley’s mental health struggles were not connected to her social media use and pointed to her turbulent home life. Meta also said “not one of her therapists identified social media as the cause” of her mental health issues. But the plaintiffs did not have to prove that social media caused Kaley’s struggles — only that it was a “substantial factor” in causing her harm.

YouTube focused more on the nature of the platform, arguing that it’s a video platform akin to television rather than a social media platform. The company also mentioned her declining YouTube use as she aged. According to their data, she spent about one minute a day on average watching YouTube Shorts since its inception. YouTube Shorts, which launched in 2020, delivers short-form, vertical videos with the “infinite scroll” feature that plaintiffs argued was addictive.

Lawyers representing both platforms also pointed to their safety features and guardrails for users to monitor and customize their use.

Rowland Homes aim to develop the new estate on fields off Arthur Lane, near the village of Harwood in Bolton.

It said the currently protected area ‘meets the grey belt tests’ at a time of housing shortfall.

Among 218 objections received by Bolton Council is one from Harwood golf club, which lies next to the proposed development site.

It has requested ‘a ball strike survey’ as a condition if outline planning is approved. It said there could be a ‘liability to members and the club’.

The club’s objection, said: “We do get a small number of stray golf balls that enter the car park and cause minor damage.

“We would request a ball strike survey as a condition to prevent any future damage to residents and potential liability to members and the club.

“Our grass cutting machines operate from around 6am in summer and we have members playing from a similar time, the potential for a noise impact to residents coupled with a large number of social functions the club holds should be realised in any noise mitigation strategy.”

A planning report has been published which will be to be put before members of Bolton’s planning committee at its Thursday, March 26 meeting.

Planning officers have recommended that outline planning permission be granted.

The report said: “It is considered that the application site meets the definition of grey belt as the development would not fundamentally undermine the purposes of the remaining green belt across the borough.

“The proposal would contribute to the unmet need of housing within the borough and would be sustainably located.

“The proposal would also meet the ‘golden rules’ requirements by providing 50 per cent affordable housing, contributing to education provision and creating public open spaces on site or contributing to improving other open spaces in the borough.

“The proposed development would therefore not constitute inappropriate development in the green belt and the principle of development is acceptable.”

The proposed development would provide 80 homes ranging from one to five bedrooms.

The site covers approximately 2.47 hectares of land across two agricultural fields currently for grazing purposes.

The terrain of the site is generally flat with a gentle slope down from west to east.

The 218 objections to the plans include concerns about the impact on green belt.

One objector said: “The green belt serves a vital role in preventing urban sprawl and preserving the character of the countryside.

“This particular development will reduce the 360 metre strip of green belt separating Bolton from Bury, by 125 metres.

“This is development of the last remaining open parcel in Harwood and the development will encourage further sprawl in the surrounding open areas.”

Other objections outlined worries about traffic, public rights of way and residential amenity along with potential harm to wildlife and trees and lack of local facilities.