"We are breaking the Iranian terror axis here, but we are also breaking the Iranian political axis. We managed to reach these understandings for a simple reason: because we hit Hezbollah hard. Hezbollah, which relied on assistance from Iran, did not receive that assistance because we hit Iran hard," he said.

The agreement, signed in Washington after five rounds of direct talks, outlines a phased process under which the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) will assume control of designated areas in southern Lebanon, replacing Hezbollah as Israeli troops withdraw in stages.

Netanyahu said Israel was not a party to the separate negotiations between the United States and Iran but stressed that Israeli security interests would remain a priority.

"From the start, we said we were not a party to the agreement between the United States and Iran, but that does not mean we do not have interests. We have interests, and we will make them clear. On the main issue, which is the nuclear issue, I intend to send a delegation to Washington to present Israel's interests. I insist on Israel's interests at our border. We will not leave the security zone," he said.

The deal places significant responsibility on the Lebanese government, which is expected to deploy additional troops to the south, dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure and prevent the group's return. The United States has pledged continued military assistance to the LAF.

Among the speakers was former Israeli Air Force fighter pilot and technology entrepreneur Jacob "Kobi" Richter, who delivered a scathing criticism of the prime minister's leadership.

Richter accused Netanyahu of leading Israel through "a thousand days of fighting, fraught with cost and dead, with absolute failure at their end."

"Your decisive contribution to the country you were elected to lead amounts to the incitement in Zion Square and the Ra'anana intersection," Richter said. "The October 7 massacre. Abandoning the hostages and returning their bodies instead of their living bodies. The abandonment and liquidation of the north of the country."

He also accused the government of neglecting Arab communities and weakening public institutions. "Abandoning the Arab society , a fifth of your citizens, to murderous crime. The destruction of the public sector and the appointment of your ass-kissers instead of professionals," Richter continued.

He further criticised the recent US-Iran agreement, claiming it had undermined Israel's position internationally.

"The US-Iran agreement that threw you and us with you under the wheels of the bus. Turning Israel into a leper in the eyes of the enlightened nations," he said.

Similar anti-government demonstrations were reported in other Israeli cities, including Jerusalem. The protests come as Israel moves closer to a national election, with the next Knesset vote currently required to be held no later than October 27.

Speaking on Thursday, Qalibaf said the memorandum signed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump is based on reciprocal action from both sides.

"Every commitment we make, is reciprocal, and action for action. This has been fully stipulated in Clause 13. We have appointed observers for this matter, which means we must jointly agree on the identity of these observers, as well as on these mediators and the other countries tasked with implementation," Qalibaf stated.

"But rest assured, if they fail to fulfill [on any of the clauses], we will not fulfill [our part] accordingly," he added.

Qalibaf said the agreement also includes plans to direct significant investment into Iran during the negotiation period.

"One of the measures we took here [MoU] was to allocate 300 billion dollars so that, during this same negotiation period, which is a limited 60-day window, we can channel these 300 billion dollars into the investment sector," he continued.

Despite participating in the negotiations, Qalibaf said he remains deeply sceptical of the United States.

"I am the one who has the most distrust [of the US], especially because I am the negotiator. I told Mr JD Vance in Islamabad that I came here to negotiate, but know this well that we have complete distrust toward you. We have come here in good faith," he concluded.

The remarks came after the signing of the memorandum between Tehran and Washington, with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif endorsing the agreement as mediator.

The conflict that led to the negotiations began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran. Tehran responded with missile attacks, escalating tensions across the region.

A conditional ceasefire was announced on April 8, paving the way for talks between the two sides.

Speaking in a televised address on Wednesday, Qassem dismissed reports of proposed areas that would be placed under the exclusive control of the Lebanese Army and free of non-state armed groups.

"There will be no pilot zones. There are no safe zones for Israel, whether yellow, red, or green. Israel must leave, and it will leave," Qassem said.

His comments came days after the US State Department announced that Lebanon and Israel had agreed to implement a ceasefire arrangement that includes pilot zones in southern Lebanon.

Qassem also renewed Hezbollah's opposition to any proposal that would require the group to surrender its weapons.

Instead, he said efforts should focus on implementing the ceasefire agreement announced on November 27, 2024.

According to Qassem, the priorities are ending attacks by air, land and sea, securing Israel's withdrawal from all Lebanese territory, obtaining the release of prisoners, ensuring displaced Lebanese residents can return home and beginning reconstruction efforts.

He also thanked Iran for including Lebanon in its recent agreement with the United States and for what he described as helping bring an end to Israeli attacks.

On Monday, the United States and Iran announced an agreement aimed at ending the conflict. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later said Lebanon was included in the arrangement and that a formal signing ceremony is expected to take place in Geneva on June 19.

US President Donald Trump also confirmed that an agreement had been reached with Iran and announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the naval blockade on Tehran.

Iran has said final negotiations will continue after agreed commitments are implemented.

Despite the ceasefire announcement, the Israeli military has repeatedly stated that it will continue operations against what it describes as Hezbollah threats in line with directives from Israel's political leadership.

Speaking on the sidelines of the G7 summit on Tuesday, Trump said: “I am not satisfied with the way Israel is dealing with Lebanon and Hezbollah.”

The current conflict began on February 28 following a joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran, leading to months of missile exchanges and increased regional tensions. A ceasefire was announced in April to allow diplomatic efforts to continue.

The United States remains the world's largest travel and tourism economy by a considerable margin, generating an estimated $2.36 trillion in tourism-related economic activity, according to the latest World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Economic Impact Research.

The ranking highlights the growing economic power of global tourism as international travel continues to recover and expand beyond pre-pandemic levels, with China firmly holding second place at $1.3 trillion, followed by Germany at $487.6 billion.

According to the WTTC, travel and tourism contributed a record $11.6 trillion to the global economy in 2025, accounting for 9.8% of global GDP and supporting approximately 366 million jobs worldwide, or roughly one in every nine jobs globally.

America Dominates Global Tourism Economy

The United States' tourism sector is worth nearly twice that of second-placed China and exceeds the combined tourism economies of several major European destinations.

WTTC data shows the world's ten largest tourism economies are:

The rankings reflect tourism's total contribution to national economies, including direct spending by visitors as well as indirect and induced economic effects across industries such as aviation, hospitality, retail, transportation and entertainment.l

Nearly half of all adults in Massachusetts now hold at least a bachelor's degree, cementing the state's position as America's most educated, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data analysed by Business Insider .

Massachusetts led the nation with 48.3% of residents aged 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, narrowly ahead of Colorado at 47.8%. Vermont, Maryland and New Jersey rounded out the top five, highlighting the continued dominance of the Northeast and highly skilled knowledge-economy states.

The findings come as educational attainment across the United States continues to rise, with the Census Bureau reporting growing shares of Americans earning university degrees, particularly among younger adults.

Based on the share of adults aged 25 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher, the top 10 states are:

Massachusetts' educational advantage is closely tied to its concentration of world-renowned universities, including Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston University and Tufts University. The state also boasts the nation's highest share of adults with graduate or professional degrees at 22.6%.

Experts say highly educated populations often attract technology, healthcare, finance and biotechnology firms, creating a cycle in which talent and economic opportunity reinforce one another. Massachusetts consistently ranks among the strongest U.S. economies and highest-income states.

The Census Bureau's latest educational attainment data show that younger Americans are earning degrees at historically high rates. In 2024, 42.8% of Americans aged 25 to 39 held a bachelor's degree or higher, compared with 34.2% among those aged 55 and older.

Research consistently links higher educational attainment with stronger earnings, lower unemployment and greater economic mobility. States with large concentrations of degree holders also tend to attract high-value industries and investment.

Brazil remains football's biggest talent exporter, with more players competing abroad than any other nation, according to a new report from the CIES Football Observatory , highlighting the country's enduring influence on the global game.

The study found that 3,020 Brazilian footballers played in foreign leagues between 2020 and 2025, comfortably ahead of France (2,293) and Argentina (2,171). Together, the three nations account for a significant share of the world's internationally mobile football talent.

For decades, Brazil has been synonymous with football excellence, producing legends from Pelé and Zico to Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Neymar. The latest figures suggest the country's talent pipeline remains unmatched, with Brazilian players appearing in leagues across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.

According to CIES, Portugal remains the leading destination for Brazilian footballers, benefiting from shared language and historical ties. At the same time, Japan, the United States and several European leagues also attract large numbers of Brazilian players.

France ranked second, with the report noting the country recorded the largest increase in expatriate players during the period, adding 372 footballers abroad between 2020 and 2025. Argentina finished third, reinforcing South America's status as one of football's most important talent-producing regions.

England, Spain, Germany and Colombia also featured prominently in the top 10, while Nigeria was the highest-ranked African nation with 926 players competing overseas. Serbia and Croatia completed the list.

The CIES study examined player movements across 135 professional leagues worldwide, reflecting the increasingly global nature of modern football. Analysts say clubs are scouting talent more widely than ever, creating international pathways for players from emerging football markets.

The report also found strong growth in football migration from countries such as Nigeria, Colombia and France, underlining the growing demand for talent from Africa and South America .

Speaking publicly, Gharibabadi said Switzerland would be involved in the signing process.

"The official signing of the memorandum will take place on Friday between the main parties, with Switzerland involved," he said.

The Iranian official also outlined what he described as the main elements of the agreement.

"The first point is the immediate and permanent end of the war and military operations, in fact, on various fronts, including in Lebanon," he claimed.

"You saw this in the position announced by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, where it was explicitly stated that a permanent and immediate end to the war has been declared on all fronts, including Lebanon."

His remarks came after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said there had been "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon".

Gharibabadi also said the agreement addressed maritime restrictions imposed on Iran .

"The second event that occurred, which the US President also announced in his statement, is the lifting and termination of the naval blockade that the US had, in fact, imposed against the Islamic Republic of Iran," he stated.

While both Tehran and Washington have confirmed that an agreement has been reached, neither side has publicly released the full contents of the deal.

Media reports have suggested the agreement could include a 60-day ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the end of the US naval blockade, sanctions relief for Iran and renewed discussions on Iran's nuclear programme.

However, Israel has stated that it is not a party to the agreement.