Iran is portrayed as a hateful nation by Donald Trump, who claims that Iranians even chant “death to America” there. But does the Iranian obsession with American tragedy mean anything else, or both? It is explained by Soraya Lennie.
Ramallah, occupied West Bank – Early on a recent Sunday morning, Saher figured he had a rare opportunity. Expecting Israeli forces to be distracted by the fallout from Iranian rocket attacks, he started to climb Israel’s separation wall.
He needed about 15 minutes to get to the other side. But as he climbed, an Israeli patrol suddenly appeared.
“I panicked, let go of the rope, and fell.”
He dropped from the top of the wall – a concrete barrier, in some places 8 metres (26 feet) high, which cuts through the occupied West Bank. Saher fell 4 metres (13 ft).
“For a moment, I thought I had died,” the 26-year-old recalled. “I heard voices in Hebrew. Then pain started creeping through my body.”
A Palestinian ambulance crew eventually transported Saber to Ramallah Hospital, where he was diagnosed with multiple rib fractures and fitted with a brace.
The Palestinian construction worker was trying to cross into Israel to reach his job in the city of Rishon LeZion. He spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisal for trying to enter Israel without permission.
Before Israel’s war on Gaza began following the October 7 attack on Israel, about 390,000 Palestinian workers relied on jobs in Israeli territory. But after the war started, Israeli authorities revoked their work permits and forced them to leave. As the war drags on, and amid Israeli military actions in the occupied West Bank, some Palestinians – mostly in the construction and hospitality sectors – have been risking their lives to get back to Israel for temporary work.
With crossing points closed and fewer smugglers willing to take people by car since October 2023, many have had only one perilous option left: to scale the wall. That option has now become deadlier, as Israel employed tighter security amid its conflict with Iran and the escalating regional tensions. The wall is now heavily monitored by drones, sensors and military patrols.
With unemployment in the occupied West Bank at critical levels, desperation is pushing people to climb the wall.
“Oh God, let me die and relieve me of this torment,” said Ahed Rizk, 29, as he lay on a bed in Ramallah Hospital. The recently married construction worker was in anguish, and not only physically: He is now unable to provide for his family.
Rizk, who is from a village near Ramallah, lost the use of both legs after falling from the separation wall during an attempt to enter Israel in mid-June. One of his legs is now paralysed; the other was shattered by the fall.
He underwent a six-hour surgery after falling from a height of about 5 metres (16 ft). The rope he had been climbing snapped under his 140kg (309-pound) weight.
“This wasn’t my first time entering for work,” he said. “But it was the most dangerous. I used to go with smugglers and pay a fee, but when the war started, chaos spread. There were no vehicles and soldiers were everywhere.
“I knew I was caught between two fires,” he added, referring to the risk of being killed while trying to enter Israel and the hardship of not being able to work to support his family.
Rizk said dozens of workers had been gathered near the wall between the town of ar-Ram and occupied East Jerusalem. Without a ladder tall enough to reach the top of the wall, they used a shorter ladder and a rope tied to the other side. But as Rizk climbed, the rope broke.
“I landed on another young man who was climbing. He had bruises. I lost both legs. The others went to work. My cousin ran when the [Israeli] army approached. I was left alone.”
Shaher Saad, the secretary-general of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), says Palestinians have been forced to attempt dangerous crossings for years.
“Decades of high unemployment have left thousands with no choice,” he told Al Jazeera.
But since the war in Gaza began, crossings have grown deadlier, Saad said. Palestinians have been shot by Israeli forces or fallen to their deaths.
At least 35 Palestinian workers have died attempting to cross into Israel for work in 2025, Saad said. It is unclear how many of those were shot and how many died as a result of falling.
Saad attributes the deaths to Israel’s tightened restrictions, which prevent workers from accessing authorised avenues to employment.
Conditions in Israeli work sites are often poor, he added. “Most sites lack basic safety standards. Workers aren’t given protective gear. Some injuries are also due to the lack of awareness about safety procedures.”
Israel’s strategy through restrictions on movement and military actions is to exacerbate inequality between Israelis and Palestinians, said Sari Orabi, a Ramallah-based independent political analyst and researcher.
“It imposes restrictions on movement and access to resources, forcing civilians to choose between hunger and physical danger,” Orabi told Al Jazeera.
“This policy of geographic division and military control deepens social marginalisation and increases dependence on aid. It fosters a state of helplessness and poverty.”
In the village of Ni’lin, west of Ramallah, Otham al-Khawaja, a 37-year-old father of three, described how, as he tried to climb the wall in March, Israeli forces opened fire. The tiler by trade fell, breaking both of his legs, but believes he would have been shot had he not fallen.
He had scaled the wall several times before that because he feared not being able to provide for his family. “Fear sometimes clouds judgement,” he reflected.
Al-Khawaja underwent surgery to insert metal rods into his legs. After three months of treatment, he was able to walk again, though not like before.
“God wrote me a new life,” he said, grateful to have survived.
“You will never appreciate life until you face death. Then you learn to accept whatever comes your way.”
Safiyya Vorajee has bravely spoken out about a toxic ex – who she met before Ashley Cain – on Paul C Brunson’s We Need to Talk podcast. Safiyya, 37, who tragically lost the daughter she shared with Ashely – Azaylia – to leukaemia when she was eight months old in 2021, said she was initially “love bombed” by her ex, who she stayed with for four years, until things took a very serious turn.
Telling Paul she ‘really wanted to be in a relationship’ before her ex began ‘constantly criticising her’, Safiyya said: “I’m like: ‘Oh my god like, yes, I found this guy.’ But then he started chipping away at me mentally without me even noticing. I just thought everything I was doing was wrong.”
Holding back tears, the dental nurse then shockingly claimed that her ex “whacked” her in the face after a disagreement in the car. Safiyya continued: “We were driving in the car, obviously I can’t remember what the conversation was about or disagreement was about, but then he just whacked me straight in the face and then I stopped the car he opened the car and pushed me out the car jumped into the driver’s seat and then I was just left and he drove off with my car.”
Despite Safiyya’s mum “begging” her not to go back to her ex after she found out about the violent incident, Safiyya admitted she returned and stayed with the man for four years.
Explaining that he told her how sorry he was and that he loved her, Safiyya said it wasn’t until she was approached by another woman, who told her that she too was seeing the man, that she found the strength to leave.
She shared: “I didn’t go mad at her. I didn’t do anything. I said to her: “Will you do me one favour? I’ve been in the worst place of my life for the last four years please can you come with me to my house and say this in front of him because no matter what you send to me what you give me he will manipulate me and tell me it’s me going crazy.”
After pretending not to recognise the woman, Safiyya’s ex “smashed all the kitchen cupboards” Safiyya said after she left the house, with the woman, who she “took safely back to her car.”
However, Safiyya returned to the house as she continued: “As soon as that door opened I literally thought he was coming to come and attack me in fact he was the opposite he’d sat there and told me it was because I work too much and he didn’t have anybody to spend time with and I was like ‘Wow wow’, I am not buying this anymore.”
Safiyya ended up calling the Samaritans where she said she talked to a volunteer for two hours before finally leaving the home she shared with her ex, getting an injunction against him and giving a statement to the police for her “protection”.
When asked why she thought she stayed in the relationship for so long, the candid star heartbreakingly concluded: “I thought control meant love and the crazy thing about it is, I just can’t believe that’s what I thought love was.”
* For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk
If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk
Some schools and staff housing in Katsina State’s Funtua District have been destroyed by a devastating windstorm.
The severe windstorm that struck the affected area on Sunday afternoon caused significant damage to the facilities of numerous educational institutions.
The Katsina State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education expressed the government’s sincere condolences to the affected schools, staff, and families in a statement.
Read more about the police’s kidnapping attempt in Katsina and the rescue of four abducted people.
The Katsina State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education releases a statement that reads, “With deep sorrow and complete submission to the will of Allah, the severe storm that struck the Funtua Senatorial zone on June 22, 2025,” in part.
“The storm caused significant damage to the facilities of numerous educational institutions in the affected area,” according to the statement.
The ministry’s commissioner, Zainab Musawa, prayed for divine intervention to ease the suffering of those affected, despite the claim that it is assessing the extent of the damage and will provide updates on measures taken.
UPDATED: JAMB Registrar Fights Tears, Apologises For Errors In 2025 UTME
Musawa assured them of the ministry’s assistance during a difficult time. She also urged school administrators to keep up with educational activities while stressing the value of keeping students engaged and academically stable despite hardship.
The Commissioner is confident that the Ministry will continue to support the people who have been affected by the Commissioner’s prayer for divine intervention to ease their suffering.
The Honorable Commissioner, Hajiya Zainab Musa Musawa, demands from school management to ensure that ongoing educational activities are carried out, stressing the importance of maintaining student attendance and continuity of study despite hardship.
Nicola Peltz and Brooklyn Beckham’s marriage is “solid” – despite claims she doesn’t love him. David and Victoria Beckham’s son recently shed light on their relationship as they celebrated a major milestone. The couple who tied the knot in 2022 have seen their marriage go from strength to strength in recent years, with the husband and wife recently purchasing a huge home in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles.
But while they’re happily in love, it’s been claimed that those close to Brooklyn no longer approve of actress Nicola, 30, with some even suggesting that the wannabe chef and photographer may feel like a “hostage” in the marriage. On Tuesday, the 26-year-old took to social media to speak about his wife.
The couple were celebrating the fifth anniversary of their engagement, and to mark the occasion, Brooklyn took to Instagram to share a loved-up snap. London-born Brooklyn was seen planting a kiss on Nicola’s neck while she struck a striking pose for their picture.
Brooklyn wrote: “It’s been 5 years since I asked this beautiful woman to marry me xx best decision ever x I love you so much.” But while their picture which has racked up over 76,000 likes was flooded with praise, others were quick to suggest that Nicola didn’t love her husband because of her body language.
“Another picture of him kissing her while she was busy checking herself out,” said one. A second added: “Why does she always look like she’s more into herself than you?” “Wives come and go, your parents are forever,” said a third. “She looks like she loves you, too. After she has finished loving herself,” typed another.
But a source close to the couple has hit out at the claims and stated that the couple are stronger than ever. “For every unkind comment, there are just as many full of love, but people so often choose to dwell on the negative,” a source told the Mirror.
They went on to add: “Brooklyn and Nicola are solid, and the idea that a heartfelt anniversary post warrants this level of scrutiny is frankly a bit ridiculous. It’s disheartening to see so much energy spent trying to tear down a young couple simply enjoying their lives together. They want no part in the public’s narrative.”
Fans were quick to defend Brooklyn in the comments, with one writing: “A good man supports and stands beside his wife, always.” “Well done, it is always right to choose love, don’t let anyone get between you two,” said a second. Meanwhile, a third typed: “Literally, it’s no one’s business, but there’s. Let them be. Happy anniversary to the beautiful couple.”
“Team Brooklyn and Nicola, live your life and enjoy it,” gushed another. Many had hit out, branding Nicola “spoiled” by her parents after Nicola purchased a string of properties, with money gifted to her by her billionaire dad, Nelson and mum, Claudia.
Speaking to the Mirror, a source said: “Nicola doesn’t deny she’s had a fortunate life, and she’s grateful for it. But she’s also been working for over 20 years, and now writes, directs, and produces her own projects. Her parents are proud to support their children, and the idea that this reflects poorly on them simply doesn’t hold up.
“Calling her spoiled is false. For her wedding, she requested donations to support Ukraine instead of gifts, and she runs Yogi’s House, a rescue that saves dogs from euthanasia in shelters. These one-sided and false attacks have gotten out of hand.” It comes as David and Victoria have been accused of apparently not providing financially for Brooklyn.
Lewis Capaldi is set to return to Glastonbury Festival after two years away with a secret set this weekend, according to a music industry source. The singer last took to the Somerset stage in 2023, shortly after which he took a break from performing for his mental health.
Now, a music industry source has told The Mirror that Lewis Capaldi is among some of the huge stars who will be secretly performing at this year’s Glastonbury festival. The iconic British festival kicks off this weekend, with gates set to open tomorrow morning. The source revealed to The Mirror that Lewis will be taking to the Pyramid Stage at 4.55pm on Friday for a secret set, while pop star Lorde is taking to Woodsies at 11.30am that morning.
Later in the evening, Olivia Dean and Rachel Chinouriri are teaming up to perform at Strummerville at 8pm. Meanwhile, CMAT is performing an extra set at the BBC Introducing stage for half an hour at 1:30pm.
Meanwhile on the Saturday, Pulp will secretly be performing for an hour on the Pyramid Stage at 6:15pm on Saturday, according to the source. Later that evening, American pop group Haim at on at The Park at 7:30pm.
Similar secret set timings have been shared on TikTok, with one user writing, “Heard it hear first people,” alongside the same timings except for CMAT, who they claim will be performing at 8:30pm on Friday. That slot is also marked as TBA on the official Glastonbury line-up.
The Mirror has reached out to Glastonbury and Lewis Capaldi for comment.
Glastonbury goers have been convinced that Pulp will be performing a secret set since the official line-up was revealed earlier this month. Many suspected that the band may behind the mysterious Pyramid Stage act ‘Patchwork’.
SecretGlasto – which is known for revealing secret set acts – even posted the reveal earlier this month with a video compilation set to their 1995 hit Common people.
Speaking ahead of this year’s festival, Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis told Nick Grimshaw and Annie Mac: “I’ve been working on Patchwork for a long time.” She added that planning their appearance had taken about a year for “logistical” reasons.
Earlier today, The Mirror revealed that headliner Neil Young is still wrangling with the BBC over their coverage of his Saturday night performance. Insiders told us that they suspect he will agree to let just a handful of songs to go out on TV and BBC iPlayer after he pulled out of the festival earlier this year over concerns about the BBC’s “corporate control”.
He said: “We were told that BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way we were not interested in. It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”
The singer later reversed his Glastonbury boycott, saying on his website: “Due to an error in the information received, I had decided to not play the Glastonbury Festival, which I always have loved. Happily, the festival is now back on our itinerary and we look forward to playing. Hope to see you there!”