The Little Ball Unites The Big Globe!


(Caption: Huge Jordanian crowds assemble at the Roman Theater in downtown Amman on Wednesday at 7 am to watch the first Jordan-Austria football match for the World Cup that was being broadcast live from San Francisco, USA. (Courtesy photo Dr Zeidan Al Kafafi, directly taken from the Amman Citadel.)

Two prominent universal endeavors help bring people closer to each other: Music and sports. Both can be performed without the need for language. One goes to the ear and the other catches the eye!

Today, the world is watching football matches played in three countries of North America by the best 48 national teams including Jordan for the first time, in this 32nd edition of the World Cup organized by FIFA.


It is important to notice that the power and impact of the little colorful ball being kicked by 22 players for 90 minutes, split into two halves, before an enthusiastic two huge crowds, each representing one team, surpass the effects of any other activity, theory, ideology or doctrine endorsed or practiced by the human race!


All participating nations in the ongoing tournament, big or small, rich or poor, old or new, would be chanting their national anthem and waiving their own flags in a joyful atmosphere that lasts for a whole month.

Also football and “foreign threat or aggression” to the nation have equal weight and role in uniting the people of any nation under one banner; one creates harmony between community members and the other feeds on the fear of the unknown!

Within the boundaries of each participant nation, a kind of a state of emergency prevails, where some days off are observed, city centers and businesses are closed and daily life takes a different beat. Crowds also gather before titanic screens in public places to watch their national team playing.

But some cynics have a different view. They call the soccer game a total nonsense, a sheer waste of energy and a preference of foot over the brain!

Whatever our attitude towards this sports event might be, many tears of joy or regret would be shed, many hearts would be broken and many dreams would be either, fulfilled or shattered.

By the end of the month, our bigger globe will take a break for four long years, then new hopes for a win will arise again and bless humanity with precious moments of joy and celebration.

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‘No You Can’t See MoU With Iran’ – Trump

The United States has rejected an official request from the Israeli government to review the memorandum of understanding with Iran, according to Israeli media reports.

Channel 12 reported that “Israel submitted an official request to the United States to review the emerging ‘memorandum of understanding’ between Washington and Tehran, but the Israeli request was rejected by the American side.”

The report suggested that this means “Israel is still unaware of the full details of the agreement, which is expected to be signed next Friday in Switzerland.”

For his part, US President Donald Trump had previously promised to hold a press conference regarding the agreement with Iran, stating that he would “read the document word for word,” but he did not specify a date for the full release of the agreement.

The understanding to end the war between Iran and the United States, scheduled to be signed on Friday, has sparked widespread criticism within Israel, targeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has faced accusations of entrenching Israel’s dependence on the United States, his inability to influence the decision, and causing a strategic loss.

The Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot stated that while coordination with Washington is important, the resulting dependency is dangerous and irresponsible.

It added: “Ultimately, due to the negligent management of negotiations by the leader of the world’s most powerful nation, Israel has returned to a reality where its freedom of action is more limited, and its deterrence has been significantly weakened, primarily due to the damage in the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu.”

The newspaper also recalled a war warning issued by Military Intelligence in 2023, which indicated that “Israel’s enemies perceive a weakness in the relationship between the United States and Israel, and therefore may exploit the opportunity for a surprise attack.” It clarified, “At that time, the focus was not on Hamas, but on Iran and Hezbollah, but the underlying message was clear.” Quds Press

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Guterres Praises US-Iran Deal

UN Secretary General António Guterres welcomed on Sunday a new peace deal between the United States and Iran, calling it a “critical step” toward ending the conflict.

According to a statement issued by his Spokesman, the agreement provides for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a framework for further negotiations.

The Secretary‑General expressed “deep appreciation” for the role of Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and other regional countries in supporting the talks.

He said he hopes the parties will build on the momentum and “redouble their efforts” toward a final resolution. He also reaffirmed that the United Nations stands ready to support efforts toward a “durable and comprehensive peace.”

The conflict began in late February with US and Israeli strikes across Iran. Iran responded with attacks on Israel and US‑allied states in the Gulf. 

The fighting led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes.

Despite a ceasefire agreed in April, the United States and Iran have exchanged intermittent fire, including two rounds of tit‑for‑tat strikes this week.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr. Guterres strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes on Beirut. In a separate statement, he said the strikes took place despite a ceasefire and at a time when Washington and Tehran were expected to reach an agreement to help pave the way to peace.

He warned that the conflict is having a “devastating impact” on the global economy and urged all parties to show “maximum restraint” at a crucial moment. He also expressed hope for a successful outcome to ongoing efforts by the United States and Iran.

The crisis in Lebanon is part of unrest across the wider region. It erupted on 2 March, just days after the US and Israel began bombing Iran, prompting Hezbollah militants in Lebanon to fire on Israel. UN News

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Israeli Targeting: Euro-Med Office in Gaza Shuts Down

Palestinian Territory – Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor announced the closure of its office in the Gaza Strip after nearly 15 years of operation, as a precautionary step following the recent Israeli threats, defamation, and punitive measures against the organisation and its staff.

These measures come in response to Euro-Med Monitor’s professional documentation of the genocide Israel has been committing in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

In recent weeks, especially following the release of a report detailing sexual violence crimes against Palestinians in Israeli prisons and detention centres, Israeli officials, government entities, ministers, public figures, and major propaganda channels have initiated a coordinated campaign of incitement and defamation targeting Euro-Med Monitor and its staff.

The campaign aimed to connect independent human rights efforts to baseless political accusations, risking a dangerous environment that could result in their direct or indirect targeting. This risk is heightened by past instances of attacks on human rights and humanitarian workers, as well as civilians in general.

The Israeli campaign aimed to target Euro-Med Monitor’s management and staff through both individual and collective smear campaigns, accompanied by ongoing incitement to take action against them. In certain instances, this escalated to direct death threats against prominent members due to their active role in documenting genocide in the Gaza Strip.

At the end of May, Israeli authorities implemented punitive measures restricting the movement of 40 individuals associated with Euro-Med Monitor, including board members, staff, volunteers, and partners. These measures are part of the broader official and unofficial pressure Israel is applying to prevent the organisation from documenting Israeli violations.

The closure of Euro-Med Monitor’s Gaza office does not mean a suspension of its work or a retreat from its moral and professional responsibilities to document violations, support victims, and preserve evidence and testimonies in accordance with recognised professional and legal standards. Rather, this decision is a response to valid safety concerns, especially given the increasing Israeli threats and the role of official Israeli entities leading the campaign.

Euro-Med Monitor holds the Israeli authorities accountable for the safety of its entire team, staff, volunteers, and partners both inside and outside the Gaza Strip. All concerned parties should swiftly condemn Israel’s conduct and apply maximum pressure to safeguard human rights workers, stopping any forms of persecution, targeting, incitement, and defamation against them.

The Israeli campaign targeting Euro-Med Monitor is part of a larger pattern of suppressing human rights defenders, journalists, and humanitarian workers in Gaza, with the goal of silencing and eliminating independent voices that report serious violations and highlight their effects on victims and survivors.

Israel’s punitive measures against the organisation, its personnel, and affiliates are an attack on the rights to defend human rights, access information, and document violations. These measures also pose a serious threat to international accountability efforts for crimes committed in the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations, especially the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the relevant Special Procedures, as well as the European Union and States Parties to the Geneva Conventions, must act urgently to publicly condemn the Israeli campaign of incitement and persecution. They must press Israel to halt any retaliatory actions against human rights organisations and their personnel, ensuring they can operate freely, safely, and without fear of intimidation or punishment.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor affirms that its work did not start because conditions were safe or easy, and it will not end under any circumstances because Israeli authorities have decided to raise the cost of that work.

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At 73,008 Killed Gaza Buries Its Dead

Medical sources in the Gaza Strip announced, Tuesday, the death toll from the Israeli offensive on the besieged enclave rose to 73,008, with 172,260 wounded. This has been since the start of the bloody war on 7 October, 2023. The sources reported that Gaza Strip hospitals received five more bodies and eight wounded in the past 24 hours.

They explained that the total number of martyrs since the ceasefire on 11 October, 2025 has risen to 997, and the total number of wounded to 3,152, while 784 bodies have been recovered. They indicated that a large number of victims remain under the rubble and in the streets, as ambulance and rescue teams have been unable to reach them yet.

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