After speaking at a press conference with reporters and infuriating people in Lebanon and elsewhere, US ambassador Tom Barrack made fury. Soraya Lennie examines the causes of the uproar and how it relates to Orientalism.
After it was revealed that he and Valtteri Bottas will compete for the new Cadillac team the following year, Sergio Perez claims to have “unfinished business” in Formula 1.
The two drivers, who were both dropped at the end of 2024, are now back on the F1 grid.
Everyone is talking about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement, but it’s more than just the upcoming wedding bands’ raving reviews. The 1989 star shared the news on her Instagram page, which included a close-up of Swift’s ring and several photos of the A-list couple.
Swifties from all over the world were delighted to learn that their favorite pop star and footballer had been engaged to a Swiftie. People are ‘switching’ at the caption of Swift’s joint post, which is believed to have begun with her NFL player boyfriend in the summer of 2023, though.
Some even speculated that this Instagram caption may be the worst ever. Your English teacher and your gym instructor are getting married, according to Swift’s Instagram caption.
Some people were obviously moved by the post, but others found it to be one of Swift’s recent writings to be the most repulsive.
One person wrote, “Maybe the worst caption of all time ever,” in response to X. I just realized that Taylor put the Dynamite emoji in there because they’re “T&, T (tnt)”.
Another wrote: “Assumed this was some kind of in-joke about a pair of actual teachers getting married. What the f**k do you mean it was actually Taylor Swift?”
Another person continued, “I will be so for real I genuinely thought it was a fan account posting the news.”
However, other people chose to celebrate the news rather than be offended by the caption. One user wrote, “Stoppp, I thought it was cute in the low key. I’m not sure, but I’m thinking it because every English professor I’ve ever had was obsessed with Taylor.
Another shared: “The head football coach of my high school married to a renowned English teacher. I guess I made sense of it.
On X, there were additional jokes shared. Another joke read, “You have to admit, a self-identified English teacher with a private jet is such a funny category of people.”
Meanwhile messages congratulating the couple have poured in from across the world. Even US president Donald Trump joined in to celebrate the couple.
The 47th POTUS said, “I wish them a lot of luck. He is a fantastic player, in my opinion. a fantastic man. And I consider her to be a wonderful person.
Following the announcement of their engagement, Brittany Mahomes, the couple’s spouse, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, also praised them.
She said, “Two of the most sincere people fall in love.” I’m so happy for these two. Additionally, Mahomes explained how the couple maintains a sense of community despite their fame.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce sealed the deal with a number of exquisitely captured garden photos that resemble those from a Disney film in what could be the most stylish and undoubtedly the most anticipated engagement announcement of the year. And while the engagement ring is incredibly large, Taylor also wore a stunning gold Cartier watch on the big day, which is hard to ignore.
She wore her classic yellow gold Cartier Santos Demoiselle as a staple accessory. The watch has a recognizable square dial and a quietly brilliant diamond encrusted case that both sparkled alongside her new ring, despite being small. Due to Cartier’s decision to remove the Demoiselle from its collection, the iconic watch has more intrigue than any solitaire could hope for.
Taylor’s watch, which was discontinued nearly ten years ago, is now available for a staggering £41k, which is unfortunately not the case for most accessory budgets, unless you’re the world’s richest female musician. However, with this £134 piece from Abbott Lyon, you can copy Taylor’s designer accessory without breaking the bank.
Taylor Swift’s “knotproof” engagement lipstick is a bold departure from her preferred shade.
Taylor Swift’s fairytale engagement dress is still available, but not for very long.
A square pearlescent dial and an 18k gold-plated five-link strap are the hallmarks of Abbott Lyon’s Essence Gold 23 Watch. It comes with a two-year quality guarantee and is finished with a Quartz Seiko movement. For anyone looking to recreate Taylor Swift’s style, this is a thoughtful gift for a loved one or yourself.
This Abbott Lyon watch is touted as extra strong and water-resistant, meaning no tarnishing or green wrists, and made to only the highest standards of plating. This watch is now available for a reduced price of £134.10, down from its full price of £149, and is available in a variety of colorways, including silver or mixed metals.
Similar to Taylor’s designer piece, but without the second-mortgage-worthy price tag, its sleek silhouette, square face, and elegance exude understated luxury.
One shopper who is obsessed with their new accessory can’t stop gushing, as they write, “Such a stunning watch! The watch has a lovely face. Such a small, elegant watch. I utterly adore it”!
Another customer beams, “Timeless… pricey looking.”
A third fan continues, “An absolute gem! The watch has all the features of a modern, luxurious watch. It’s light, cozy, and looks great with any outfit, from formal to business. Excellent quality and flawless operation. My new favorite accessory”!
This Fossil Harlow Watch for Women is currently available on Amazon for £137.28, down from its previous price of £145.88, so if you’re looking for alternative accessories to match Taylor’s discontinued Cartier, check out this Fossil Harlow Watch for Women.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have broken their silence after Taylor Swift announced her jaw-dropping engagement news yesterday. The Americana star, 35, broke the internet when she posted a snap of her now fiance, Travis Kelce, also 35, down on one knee – in his own private rose garden – telling fans “your English and gym teacher are getting married”.
Taylor was inundated with well wishes from her legion of loyal fans and famous pals, who sent their congratulations, and has now received royal approval after the future King and Queen of England liked her post on Instagram.
William and Kate are notoriously selective about which posts they like on social media, and so adding a heart to Taylor’s engagement message is a big deal for the Bad Blood billionaire.
READ MORE: Travis Kelce breaks silence on Taylor Swift engagement as he reveals podcast Easter eggsREAD MORE: Blake Lively’s biggest sign Taylor Swift friendship is over after telling engagement snub
It comes after the singer was photographed backstage of her Eras tour last year with William and Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who is apparently a huge Swiftie.
William was even spotted dancing to Taylor’s iconic Shake It Off during the first night of her Eras Tour stop in London in fan-captured footage from the concert. In the clip, the future kind can be seen letting loose in the stands and dancing along to the bop from Taylor’s 1989 album.
The singer later posed for a selfie with the royal family, which was shared on William and Kate’s official Instagram account, with a caption, which read: “Thank you @taylorswift for a great evening! #LondonTSTheErastour.”
Since Taylor and Travis’ happy announcement on Tuesday, celebrities including Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne have sent their congratulations.
However, Blake Lively, her ex-boyfriend, has not yet congratulate Tay-Tay.
Following the Justin Baldoni drama, it is said that despite having a previous friendship that lasted for more than ten years, things have reportedly turned sour between the women.
The tension between Blake, who is married to Ryan Reynolds, and Taylor blew up after the singer’s name got dragged into the actress’ arduous 2024 legal battle with her It Ends With Us co-star, Justin.
Justin’s attorneys claimed Blake tried to “coerce” Taylor into saying something offensive about the actor, who Blake claimed was accused of sexual harassment, and deleted texts they allegedly exchanged about the 41-year-old. And despite a subpoena that would have allowed Taylor to testify against the defendant, which was later overturned, both women were undoubtedly unwelcome to the drama.
Some Swifties are still persuaded that the pair are still fighting, especially now that Taylor’s song “Ruin the Friendship” has been released on her new album.
Taylor is renowned for “speaking her truth” and “pouring her heart out” in her songs. The singer, however, essentially dissipates the rumors by revealing on the New Heights podcast with Travis that she was “in Europe for the Eras Tour” before any drama with Blake was made public about the “diss track.”
READ MORE: Frankie Bridge’s new edit of luxury-looking suede cabin bags are ‘Ryanair approved’
Iran contends that the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA)’s) inspections do not indicate that full cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog has resumed.
Iran’s foreign minister reported on Wednesday that IAEA inspectors have entered Iran with the country’s Supreme National Security Council’s approval.
According to Abbas Araghchi, “the new cooperation framework with the IAEA has not yet been approved, and views are being exchanged,” according to comments cited by the state broadcaster.
According to him, “the inspectors of the international agency must be in charge of the changing of the fuel in the Bushehr nuclear reactor,” according to the state news agency ICANA.
Iran halted communication with the organization after its 12-day conflict with Israel in June, with Tehran blaming the IAEA’s failure to condemn Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear sites. The attacks did not specifically target Bushehr.
A team of inspectors is “back in Iran,” according to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, who confirmed on Tuesday.
As you may well be aware, Iran has a lot of facilities. In an interview that was broadcast on Tuesday, Grossi told Fox News, “Some people were attacked, some were not.”
We are currently enquiring about what kind of “practical modalities” can be put into place to speed up the start of our work there.
Tehran wants to avert the so-called snapback sanctions that European powers have threatened to reimpose under the 2015  Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal, which Iran held on Tuesday in Geneva.
Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warned Europe’s top three countries that new sanctions will be imposed.
Parties to the 2015 agreement, including the UK, France, and Germany, have threatened to use the “snapback mechanism” by the end of August.
In the upcoming days, both sides will continue to discuss nuclear issues.
Since the end of the June war, which started with an unprecedented Israeli surprise attack that targeted senior military officials and nuclear facilities, the second round of discussions with European diplomats took place on Tuesday.
Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the United States were halted by the conflict.
Israel claims to have launched the attacks to stop Iran from producing nuclear weapons, a goal Tehran has repeatedly denied, insisting that its program is purely for domestic purposes, such as energy production.