The crisis over the Strait of Hormuz has been the central front in the recent conflict between Iran and the United States. With a new temporary agreement mediated by Oman, the world has seen a significant de-escalation. But does this deal represent a definitive victory for Iran? To answer this question, we must examine what Iran has achieved, what it has conceded, and what the future holds.
What the New Hormuz Deal Actually Says
Recent reports indicate that Iran and Oman are close to finalising an agreement that will reshape the passage of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Under this new arrangement, a new single route will replace the temporary northern and southern routes. Critically, part of this new route will pass through Iran’s territorial waters.
Key details of the emerging agreement:
Reopening: The agreement aims to restore navigation in the waterway, effectively ending the blockade that Iran imposed following joint US-Israeli strikes in February 2026.
Duration: It is a temporary arrangement expected to last for 60 days to a few months, providing a cooling-off period.
No Fees: For the initial period of this agreement, Iran has reportedly agreed not to impose transit fees or service charges.
U.S. Role: The U.S. has been an indirect party to these talks through mediators, and reports suggest a return to a previous peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) is contingent on tangible U.S. implementation of its commitments.
Map showing proposed Iran-Oman shipping route through Strait of Hormuz
Why This Could Be Seen as a Victory for Iran
The deal is seen by many analysts as a significant win for Tehran and could be considered a powerful piece of proof that Iran can win this war, at least in the strategic sense.
1. Gaining De Facto Control Over the Strait The most significant achievement for Iran is the recognition of its role in managing the strait. By shifting the route to pass through its territorial waters, Iran has secured a de facto acknowledgement of its authority over the strategic waterway. A researcher from the China Institute of International Studies noted that the core issue of the negotiations was Iran maintaining the “ultimate control” of the strait, even if the exact wording is flexible. This represents a shift from the traditional model where the strait was treated as an international waterway.
2. The U.S. Acknowledges Iran’s Leverage After months of military confrontation, the U.S. found itself unable to quickly neutralise Iran’s asymmetric tactics, such as naval mines, fast attack boats, and coastal missiles. This forced the U.S. into an unusual position: relying on allies and indirect negotiations to resolve the crisis rather than acting unilaterally. This suggests Iran’s strategy of making the strait impassable for its adversaries was effective in forcing the U.S. to negotiate. As one expert put it, U.S. naval escorts now protect ships passing through Iranian-controlled waters, creating a new and unfavourable reality for Washington.
3. Exposing U.S. Vulnerabilities The crisis has arguably been more damaging to U.S. standing than to Iran’s. Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated that a new chapter in the Gulf is “taking shape” following a U.S. “ignominious defeat” in its plan against Iran. The war has also exposed the vulnerability of U.S. Gulf allies, who now see the U.S. military presence as a potential liability rather than a security blanket.
Why the Deal is Not the Final Victory
While the deal is a major diplomatic success for Iran, declaring it “the final proof” of victory is premature for several reasons.
1. It’s Only Temporary The agreement is explicitly labelled “temporary” and lasts only 2 to 4 months. This suggests it’s a stop-gap measure to prevent immediate escalation, not a long-term resolution of the underlying conflict. The core issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme and the future of U.S. forces in the region, remain unresolved.
2. The U.S. Has Not Formally Endorsed It The deal is between Iran and Oman. While the U.S. is likely involved indirectly, it has not signed or formally approved the arrangement. This means the U.S. could choose not to recognise Iran’s claims or the new route in the long term, which could potentially re-ignite the conflict. As one analyst noted, the U.S. “accepting” the deal is different from “recognising” it, which could lead to future challenges, particularly over the issue of fees after the 60-day grace period.
3. Economic and Military Pressures Persist Despite this diplomatic breakthrough, Iran’s economic situation remains dire. The country is still under heavy sanctions, and the economic damage from the conflict will take months to repair. Furthermore, U.S. President Trump has stated that if diplomacy fails, military options are still available. The underlying power imbalance in favour of the U.S. military remains unchanged.
4. “Winning” the War vs. “Not Losing” It Iran’s strategy has been one of resilience—it has managed to inflict economic pain and show its strategic importance without suffering military defeat. This is a victory of a sort, but it is a victory of surviving a war rather than winning it in the traditional sense. The conflict has likely set the country back economically and politically, and the “bright future” of the Gulf that Iran envisions without the U.S. presence is still a distant goal.
Commercial vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz
Conclusion
Is the new Hormuz deal the final proof that Iran can win this war? The agreement shows that Iran has successfully used its geographic leverage to force the U.S. into a negotiation it sought to avoid. Iran has achieved a key strategic objective: a clear role in managing the world’s most important oil chokepoint.
However, a temporary agreement is not a final victory. The war is not over; it has simply entered a new, perhaps less volatile, phase. Iran has shown that it can start a crisis and make the costs of war high, which is a form of power. But the final chapter of this confrontation is still being written. For now, the New Hormuz Deal is proof of Iran’s resilience and strategic capability, but it is more of a powerful bargaining chip than a final triumph.
The Iran-Oman shipping route has moved a significant step closer after Tehran said the two countries had reached an understanding on the geographic coordinates of a proposed maritime corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on August 5 that Tehran and Muscat had agreed on the coordinates envisaged for the shipping route and were working on a joint announcement. However, the arrangement was still being finalised and did not represent an unconditional reopening of the strategic waterway.
That distinction matters. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime passages, and developments affecting traffic through it can have consequences far beyond Iran and Oman. Energy markets, shipping companies, insurers and governments are therefore closely following the negotiations.
What Has Iran Actually Announced?
According to Tehran, Iran and Oman have reached a mutual understanding regarding the geographic coordinates of the proposed route. Baghaei said a joint statement containing the main considerations and areas of agreement was in the final stages of review and drafting.
This means reports describing the matter as a completely finished shipping agreement should be treated carefully.
The negotiations have made meaningful progress, but important operational and security questions remain. Reuters reported that regional officials said some details were still under discussion.
Iran has also stressed that an Iran-Oman agreement by itself would not automatically guarantee security throughout the Strait of Hormuz.
A map showing Iran, Oman and the Strait of Hormuz would be particularly useful.
Why Is the Strait of Hormuz So Important?
The importance of the Iran-Oman shipping route becomes clearer when looking at the geography.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Iran sits on its northern side, while Oman occupies territory on the southern side.
That location makes the strait critical to international energy and commercial shipping.
Disruption in the waterway can affect oil and gas markets, freight costs, maritime insurance and global supply chains. Even expectations of improved shipping conditions can influence energy prices.
Recent signs of progress in the Iran-Oman negotiations have therefore attracted considerable attention from international markets.
Iran and Oman Have Been Negotiating for Weeks
The latest announcement was not unexpected.
Iran and Oman have been holding technical and political negotiations over navigation arrangements in the Strait.
In a joint statement on June 23, both governments reaffirmed their commitment to safe passage through the strait in accordance with applicable international law while also emphasising their sovereignty and sovereign rights over territorial waters.
Further negotiations took place in July. Iranian officials said discussions covered common principles and operational mechanisms for managing safe shipping while respecting the rights of both coastal states.
The agreement on geographic coordinates therefore represents another stage in a longer negotiating process.
What Could the New Shipping Arrangement Look Like?
This issue is one of the most sensitive parts of the negotiations.
Iran previously rejected an Omani proposal that Tehran described as effectively dividing control of the temporary route equally between the two countries. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi instead said Tehran wanted one shipping lane entirely within Iranian-controlled waters and part of another lane under Iranian control.
Reuters subsequently reported that the emerging proposal could give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.
That makes the arrangement more than a technical question about drawing coordinates on a maritime chart. It potentially touches on sovereignty, navigation rights and regional security.
commercial tankers travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
What Does the Agreement Mean for Global Shipping?
If implemented successfully and accompanied by sufficient security guarantees, a functioning route could provide greater predictability for commercial vessels.
For shipping companies, predictability matters enormously. Uncertainty surrounding a strategic waterway can lead to higher insurance premiums, scheduling problems and additional risk-management costs.
A stable arrangement could therefore benefit the following:
Oil and LNG shipments
Container shipping
Regional imports and exports
Maritime insurance
Gulf ports and logistics businesses
International supply chains
However, shipping companies will want more than a political announcement. They will need clear navigation procedures and credible assurances that vessels can transit safely.
Oman Has a Crucial Diplomatic Role
Oman’s involvement is particularly important because it is both a coastal state on the Strait of Hormuz and an established diplomatic intermediary in regional disputes.
Muscat has maintained channels of communication with Iran and strong relationships with Western and Gulf governments.
That puts Oman in an unusual position: it has a direct geographic interest in navigation through the strait while also being able to facilitate politically sensitive negotiations.
The Omani government has previously publicly reaffirmed its commitment alongside Iran to safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
A photo of Muscat, an Omani port, or Iranian-Omani diplomatic talks would work well
Why Markets Are Watching Closely
The negotiations are about ships, but their economic consequences potentially reach petrol stations, factories and households around the world.
When a major energy transport corridor is disrupted, traders may price in additional geopolitical risk for oil and gas.
Conversely, signs that shipping conditions could normalise may ease some of that pressure. Recent progress in negotiations has already raised hopes that the wider situation could stabilise.
Still, markets are likely to remain sensitive until the terms of any arrangement become clearer and commercial shipping can operate reliably.
Is the Strait of Hormuz fully reopened?
This situation is where news reports need careful wording.
No final, unconditional reopening should be inferred simply from Tehran’s announcement about the route coordinates.
Iran says the two sides have agreed on the geographic coordinates of a route and that a joint announcement is being prepared. But Tehran has simultaneously cautioned that such an agreement would not by itself guarantee the security of the waterway.
Questions also remain about the exact management of the corridor and the wider political arrangements surrounding it.
The immediate next step is expected to be completion of the Iran-Oman joint statement.
Thereafter, attention will shift toward how the arrangement works in practice. Governments and shipping companies will be looking for details concerning navigation procedures, security arrangements and the responsibilities of Iran and Oman.
The response of other governments will also be important. The negotiations involve a waterway with enormous international significance, so an agreement between the two coastal states is unlikely to end the wider diplomatic debate.
A container vessel or oil tanker sailing at sunset would make a strong final visual before the conclusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Iran-Oman shipping route? It is a proposed maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz being negotiated by Iran and Oman to manage commercial shipping through the strategically important waterway.
Have Iran and Oman reached an agreement? Iran says the two sides have reached an understanding on the geographic coordinates of the proposed route and are finalising a joint announcement. Some operational details have still been under discussion.
Why is the Strait of Hormuz important? It is a critical maritime connection between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and is particularly important for international energy shipments.
Does the agreement guarantee safe shipping? Not necessarily. Iran’s Foreign Ministry has explicitly said that an agreement between Iran and Oman would not, on its own, guarantee security in the waterway.
What happens next? The two governments are expected to finalise their joint statement while technical and political details surrounding the shipping arrangement continue to receive scrutiny.
Conclusion
The negotiations for the shipping route between Iran and Oman represent an important development for one of the world’s most strategically sensitive waterways. Tehran says Iran and Oman have agreed on the geographic coordinates of a proposed route through the Strait of Hormuz, bringing the two neighbours closer to a formal arrangement.
However, the announcement should not be confused with a complete resolution of the dispute. Security guarantees, operational arrangements and the wider political questions surrounding control of the strait remain crucial.
For global markets, even progress toward a stable shipping corridor matters. If Iran and Oman can translate their understanding into a workable and secure arrangement, the effects could extend well beyond the Gulf—potentially providing greater certainty for energy shipments, international trade and global supply chains.
London is bidding to host the world’s largest international Pride festival in 2032 as the city marks 60 years since its first official Pride march.
WorldPride is held every other year and brings together people from across the globe to celebrate LGBTQ+ diversity, identity, and belonging.
The event is being held in Amsterdam this year and will then be celebrated in Cape Town in 2028, before London hopes to take the reins in 2032, with The Independent acting as one of its media partners.
London’s bid coincides with the 60th anniversary of the city’s very first Pride march in 1972.
which was a response to New York’s Stonewall riots. The number attending was just a fraction of the estimated 1.5 million who attended this year’s Pride in London event.
Thousands gathered in London for Pride in July (PA Wire)
The bid was announced on Thursday at a special reception during WorldPride Amsterdam at the British Council, with the launch of a design competition and global photography campaign.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community from across the globe have been invited to submit photographs celebrating identity, allyship and belonging. These photos will be transformed into a living mosaic created from thousands of community photographs that hope to tell the story of pride in all its forms.
The bid also invites creatives across the UK to submit an original logo design. If London is successful in its bid, the winning design will become London’s official WorldPride 2032 bid logo.
The logo design will be unveiled at the end of October through an immersive installation across Outernet London’s world-famous digital screens, with photos from the campaign on show, with the designer receiving a £3,000 prize. Entries, to be submitted via the Pride in London website, will close on 25 September and the winner will be announced at the start of October.
The Independent marched at this year’s Pride in London (Supplied)
Rebecca Paisis, the interim CEO of Pride in London, which is co-leading the bid with Outernet and UK Black Pride, has said that community is a core part of the bid.
“Pride has always been powered by community,” she added. As we launch London’s bid for WorldPride 2032, we want our community to help shape its future from the very beginning.
“We’re looking for bold, inspiring designs that capture London’s unique spirit and photographs that celebrate Pride in all its forms across the world. As we approach the 60th anniversary of London’s first Pride march, this project gives every generation an opportunity to leave their mark on what could become one of the defining moments in our movement’s history.”
The Independent and The Standard are official news media partners of the bid and will contribute photography from decades of Pride coverage to help tell the story of London’s LGBTQ+ journey as part of the final artwork and create a tangible bridge between Pride’s past and its future.
Beth Gordon, The Independent’s brand marketing and communications director, said: “The Independent and The Standard have proudly documented London’s Pride movement for decades.
As steadfast campaigners for LGBTQ+ communities, we are delighted that images from our archives will help tell this remarkable story, preserving the history of Pride while contributing to its future.”
London hopes to host WorldPride in 2032 (Pride in London)
The Independent has partnered with Pride in London for five years during Pride Month, building on the publication’s long history of LGBTQ+ campaigning and reporting. Its team joined thousands of marchers and took part in the Pride in London parade on 4 July this year.
Kicking off Pride Month in June, The Independent published its Pride List, continuing a decades-long tradition of championing LGBTQ+ figures in Britain across entertainment, sport, business, law, fashion, politics, campaigning and the arts.
Comedian Alan Carr topped the list following his unforgettable victory on The Celebrity Traitors in November last year, followed by one of the Women’s Rugby World Cup winners, Meg Jones; transgender rights advocate and healthcare worker Stephanie Lynette; drag queen Bimini; and Green Party leader Zack Polanski.
The mayor of London and TripAdvisor are also supporting the London World Pride 2032 bid.
Gut health has shifted from the sidelines of wellness culture into the mainstream, yet a new IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions Of Gut Health finds that consumer enthusiasm has outpaced consumer understanding. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (64%) consider gut health a high or extremely high priority, yet how they define it is deeply personal, often shaped more by tangible everyday experiences than less immediate outcomes.
For most people, gut health is synonymous with digestion. Proper digestion and absorption of nutrients was the most common definition (36%), and when asked what gut health affects most, Americans overwhelmingly pointed to everyday digestive outcomes: digestive comfort (48%), regular bowel movements (38%), and nutrient absorption (33%). Far fewer people connected gut health to broader outcomes that are increasingly linked to the gut, such as immune function (20%), mental or emotional health (20%), brain function (12%), or skin health (10%).
“Consumers are clearly telling us that gut health matters to them; it has become a high priority in how people think about their overall wellness,” Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, president and CEO of IFIC, said in a statement. “For many people, gut health is more of a feeling and less a defined concept — ‘I don’t feel bloated, so my gut is healthy.’ That’s a great starting point for food and nutrition professionals, where they can then broaden the conversation to include the many benefits associated with gut health.”
Gut Health By Vibes: A Personal Definition
The survey suggests Americans largely assess their gut health by how they feel rather than by clinical measures. More than eight in ten (84%) rated their gut health over the past 30 days as good, very good, or excellent — and the actions they have taken reflect an intuitive, self-directed approach. In the past year, Americans say they have most often supported their gut health through lifestyle changes: improving their overall diet (31%), increasing fibre from foods (30%), and becoming more physically active (29%). Far fewer turned to specialised tools such as functional foods or beverages (13%), healthcare professional consultation (12%) or testing kits (5%).
More than half (54%) said they limit or avoid certain foods or beverages to support their gut. Among those who do, the most commonly restricted items are highly processed foods (45%), fatty foods (42%), alcohol (42%), and sugary foods or beverages (40%). Americans view gut health as largely within their control, ranking poor diet (50%) and stress (37%) as the most detrimental influences, while fewer point to factors they have less control over, such as ageing (17%), hormonal changes (13%) or environmental exposure (10%).
“What stands out in this data is that gut health is being defined by vibes — it’s personal, it’s intuitive, and it’s often conflated with digestion,” Monica Amburn, MS, RDN, LDN, vice president, food safety & nutrition at IFIC, said in a statement. But digestion is only one aspect of gut health. The science points to six domains of gut health, including digestive physiology, the microbiome, the gut barrier, the gut-brain axis, endocrine function, and immune function. When consumers equate ‘feeling normal’ with a healthy gut, they see only a small slice of something much bigger. That’s not a criticism of consumers; it’s a signal of where clearer communication is needed.”
A Moment Of Momentum For The Science
The findings arrive as gut health gains formal recognition. For the first time, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, explicitly reference the gut microbiome and recommend fermented foods to support gut health. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) also recently published the first international consensus statement defining gut health and identifying its six domains: the gut microbiome, gut barrier, gastrointestinal physiology, the gut-brain axis, immune function and metabolism.
And interest is climbing alongside the science. According to the 2025 IFIC Food & Health Survey, 37% of Americans now seek gut or digestive health benefits from their foods and beverages, a 7-percentage-point increase since 2022.
Where Consumers Turn For Answers
When it comes to trusted information about gut health, Americans place the greatest confidence in information sources with scientific or clinical expertise: healthcare professionals (74%), scientific studies (65%), and health-focused websites (63%). Food and beverage brands (34%), AI chatbots (34%), and non-expert influencers (25%) drew the lowest levels of trust, underscoring both the appetite for credible guidance and the role professionals can play in filling the gap.
“The science of the gut microbiome is still evolving, and that’s precisely what makes this moment so exciting,” added Reinhardt Kapsak. “There’s a real appetite among consumers to understand what’s happening inside their bodies — not just to feel better day to day, but to reduce their risk for chronic disease and live longer, healthier lives — and the research is beginning to catch up to that curiosity. It’s an exciting opportunity to help people connect their everyday dietary choices to a more profound understanding of their health.”
Rangers manager Derek McInnes is still looking for his first win after they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Jagiellonia Bialystok in Europa League qualifying. McInnes made five changes from their Premiership draw with Dundee United and they made the dream start in Poland as Guilherme Montoia’s own goal put them 1-0 up.
But Manny Fernandez returned the favour by turning Kajetan Szmyt’s cross into his own net, and the Jagiellonia midfielder then took advantage of some poor Rangers defending to fire in a second before half-time.
Image: Guilherme Montoia’s own goal gave Rangers an early lead in Poland
McInnes brought on Cammy Devlin, Nico Raskin and Findlay Curtis for the second half. Despite improving the side’s attacking threat, they were unable to convert it into goals.
Image: Kajetan Szmyt made it 2-1 to Jagiellonia Bialystok
Szmyt went close to a hat-trick with a shot straight at Rangers goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, then Jesus Imaz missed a brilliant chance to extend the hosts’ lead when he sent his effort wide.
Gers substitute Lawrence Shankland failed to poke home a loose ball to level the match before Curtis’ stoppage-time volley crashed off the post.
Rangers have a lot to do at Ibrox next week. The winners will face Larne or Iberia 99 in the Europa League play-off round, with the losing side dropping into the Conference League play-offs.
The key moments from the Chorten Arena
4: GOAL! Rommens sends in a low cross that is just out of Chermiti’s reach, but it comes off Montoia and goes in.
13: GOAL! Disaster for Rangers as Szmyt’s ball from out wide comes off Fernandez and ends up in the back of the net.
21: GOAL! Szmyt fires in on the rebound after Pandur denies Imaz.
61: CLOSE! Raskin plays a brilliant ball to Curtis, but Curtis can’t get his effort on target.
68: LET OFF FOR RANGERS! Imaz is through but somehow misses the target.
86: BIG CHANCE! Shankland blocks Fernandez’s header from the corner but fails to poke home the loose ball.
90+3: OFF THE POST! Rangers inches away!! Shankland nods the ball back for Devlin but his volley crashes off the woodwork.
Late chances give confidence
Sky Sports’ Alison Conroy:
It was another disappointing result for Rangers in Europe.
Their second-half performance will give them confidence that they can improve at a sell-out Ibrox next week if they can avoid more defensive lapses.
The two goals they conceded were completely avoidable, much to Derek McInnes’ frustration.
Image: Daisuke Yokota made his Rangers debut in Poland
Big players started the game on the bench. Their introduction coincided with a much-improved showing, giving the manager decisions to make ahead of Hibernian in the Premiership on Sunday before their return leg.
New signing Daisuke Yokota was thrown in at the deep end less than 48 hours after joining the Ibrox side and he tried to get involved. Another week of training for him and his fellow summer signings could be very beneficial.
A University of Cambridge professor has resigned from his post after the university placed him under investigation following a row over plagiarism.
Professor Jason Arday, a professor of sociology of education who became Cambridge’s youngest Black professor in 2023, stepped down on Wednesday evening.
His resignation followed the university’s launch of an inquiry into his “academic qualifications and honorary appointments.”
In a letter addressed to colleagues, published on the Good Law Project’s website, Professor Arday stated: “While criticism is an inevitable part of academic life, what I have experienced has gone far beyond scholarly disagreement.
The relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have had a serious impact on me and on those I love.
This departure comes shortly after the University of Cambridge announced its investigation into “new information” regarding Professor Arday’s credentials.
Professor Jason Arday’s resignation letter in full:
“It is with profound sadness that I write to resign, with immediate effect, from my position at the University of Cambridge and Jesus College.
“When I accepted the extraordinary honour of becoming Professor of Sociology at Cambridge, it was, without question, the greatest professional privilege of my life.
“To become the youngest Black professor in the university’s history was something I could scarcely have imagined as a child growing up with a diagnosis of autism, unable to speak until I was eleven years old.
“The response from so many people across the world was overwhelming. Thousands celebrated not simply my appointment, but what it represented: that talent, perseverance and hope can triumph over even the greatest adversity.
This departure comes shortly after the University of Cambridge announced its investigation into ‘new information’ regarding Professor Arday’s credentials (St Mary’s University Twickenham)
It has been the privilege of my life to teach my students, learn alongside them, and witness their curiosity, kindness and ambition. They have given me far more than I could ever have given them.
“Sadly, the years since my appointment have also been marked by an unrelenting level of public scrutiny and personal attack.
“While criticism is an inevitable part of academic life, what I have experienced has gone far beyond scholarly disagreement. The relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have had a serious impact on me and on those I love.
“I have tried to continue because I believe deeply in the values of higher education, in rigorous scholarship, and in the transformative power of universities. I have tried because of my students, my colleagues and the countless people who have written to tell me that my journey gave them hope.
“But there comes a point when the personal cost becomes too overwhelming.
“I have a family. I want to be present for them. I want to reclaim some peace, some privacy and some semblance of an ordinary life. I no longer wish to feel as though I am living under a constant spotlight, where every aspect of my life is subject to public examination and judgement.
“For my own wellbeing, for my family, and for those who have stood by me throughout this difficult period, I have concluded that the only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away.
“This decision should not be interpreted as a loss of faith in scholarship or in the values that first brought me to Cambridge. Nor should it be mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me. It is simply the decision of someone who has reached the limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure.
“To my students: thank you. Teaching you has been the greatest honour of my academic career. Your brilliance, compassion and determination give me enormous hope for the future.
“I offer my deepest gratitude to my colleagues and to the many thousands of people from every corner of the world who have supported, defended, written to, and believed in me when it mattered most. Your kindness has carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life.
“This is not the end of my work. It is simply the end of this chapter.
“I need time to heal. I need time to simply be myself again. And when that time comes, I will return.
“I will return stronger, wiser and with the same determination that has always defined my journey. There is still so much work to do, and I look forward to doing it alongside so many of you in the years ahead.
“For now, however, I ask only for understanding, for compassion, and for the space to begin again.”
Ants and mammals use related brain signalling systems that help control caregiving behaviour. Ants also change their social roles as they grow older, making them useful for studying how parenting evolved and how behaviour shifts as their brains age. The findings could eventually offer clues about similar processes in mammals, including humans.
For much of evolutionary history, many animals reproduced and then left their offspring to survive alone. A study published in Nature now offers a possible explanation for how caregiving emerged from those distant, nonparental beginnings.
By studying clonal raider ants, researchers found that evolution may not have created entirely new brain systems for parental behaviour. Instead, it appears to have adapted ancient neural pathways that originally regulated hunger and feeding, giving them a new role in social care.
“Our work is a prime example of how evolution seldom invents things from scratch,” says Daniel Kronauer, head of the Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behaviour at Rockefeller. “Evolution takes what it has and works with that, sometimes in very surprising ways.”
How Evolution May Have Built Parenting
Parental care appears in many forms across the animal kingdom. Mammals feed their young with milk, birds protect and maintain nests, and ants tend developing larvae. Scientists have long wondered how such complex caregiving behaviours evolved from ancestors that offered minimal care.
One leading idea is that evolution reused biological systems that already existed. Earlier research in mammals suggested that certain neuropeptides, which are small molecules used by the brain to communicate, may have shifted from regulating hunger to encouraging parental behaviour.
Proving that connection has been difficult. Fruit flies and roundworms, two widely used animals in neuroscience research, do not care for their offspring. Mice do provide extensive parental care, and scientists have identified several neuropeptides involved in this behaviour, but the mouse brain is highly complex.
Kronauer’s team found that some of the neuromodulatory mechanisms involved in caregiving overlap in ants and mice. This makes ants a potentially valuable research model. An ant brain contains about 60,000 cells, compared with roughly 100 million in a mouse brain, so scientists may be able to study the underlying circuits in much greater detail and at a faster pace.
Tracking Caregiving One Ant at a Time
The researchers created an automated behavioural system that placed individual ants with individual larvae. This setup allowed the team to monitor hundreds of caregiving interactions.
They then identified and synthesised many of the chemical messengers found in the ant brain. Each molecule was tested to see whether it changed the ants’ caregiving behaviour.
Ant colonies have a strict division of labour that is heavily dependent on age. Younger ants generally remain inside the nest and care for larvae. As they grow older, they are more likely to leave the nest and forage for food.
The researchers wanted to understand how changes in brain chemistry control this transition. They studied where the most promising molecules were produced, how their levels changed over an ant’s lifetime, and what happened when their activity was increased or reduced.
The team also compared ants that had been fed with ants that had been deprived of food. This allowed the scientists to test whether the signals involved in caregiving were still connected to the ancient feeding circuits from which they may have evolved.
“We annotated the neuropeptidome of this ant, the complete set of neuropeptides,” says Kay. “There were 70 that we could identify. It took a lot of hard work, but now we have a set of molecules that we can investigate in numerous ways.”
Two Brain Molecules Shape Ant Behavior
The results showed that caregiving in ants remains closely tied to the brain systems that regulate hunger. Two signalling molecules appeared to push behaviour in opposite directions, depending on the ant’s age and internal conditions.
Neuropeptide F (NPF) encouraged ants to care for larvae. Allatostatin A (AstA), in contrast, made ants more likely to leave the larvae and begin foraging.
Young ants naturally had higher levels of NPF and lower levels of AstA in important areas of the brain. Older ants showed the reverse pattern. That shift matched the insects’ normal progression from nursing larvae inside the nest to gathering food outside it.
When researchers altered the activity of either molecule, the ants changed their behaviour. These results demonstrated that the neuropeptides were not merely associated with caregiving but could actively influence whether an ant nurtured larvae or went searching for food.
Hunger Can Push Ants Toward Caregiving
The same molecules also responded to hunger, just as related signals do in mammals. Starved ants developed higher levels of NPF and lower levels of AstA, making them behave more like carers.
After the ants were fed, the chemical balance reversed. They became less focused on tending larvae and more inclined to forage.
“We learnt that parental behaviours build on the neural circuitry for feeding, and that makes some sense,” Kronauer says. “Parental behaviour is largely about feeding — not just yourself, but also your offspring.”
The findings support the idea that parental care evolved by adapting brain systems that were already responsible for finding and consuming food. Rather than inventing caregiving from nothing, evolution may have expanded feeding behaviour so that animals became motivated to provide nourishment to their offspring as well as to themselves.
A Shared Blueprint for Parenting
The researchers now plan to identify the specific neural circuits affected by NPF and AstA. Mapping those pathways could reveal how chemical signals translate into caregiving behaviour.
Mammals appear to use some of the same neuropeptides when caring for their young. Comparing the relevant circuits in ants and mammals may therefore help scientists uncover a shared biological strategy for parenting that crosses widely separated branches of the animal kingdom.
“It amazes me that similar parenting behaviours have evolved so many times in so many distinct animal lineages,” says Kay. “Our paper suggests that the evolutionary routes to these sorts of behaviours are far more constrained than we may have naively imagined. That’s very exciting, as it may eventually lead to a blueprint for how these complex social behaviours evolve.
Ants Could Also Reveal How Brains Age
Clonal raider ants may be useful for more than studying parenting. Their predictable transition from carers to foragers could also help researchers investigate how healthy ageing affects the brain and behaviour.
Much of ageing research focuses on severe disorders that appear late in life. Scientists know far less about the gradual changes that occur in a healthy brain across an individual’s normal lifespan.
Because age-related changes in ant behaviour are essential to the organisation of the colony, ants offer a natural system for studying how brain chemistry reshapes social roles over time. The researchers believe that similar chemical mechanisms may also influence age-related behavioural changes in other animals.
“There’s a lot of research and funding invested in studying late-stage neurodegenerative diseases, but we actually know very little about how the brain changes throughout the normal healthspan of an individual,” says Kronauer. In ant colonies, these dynamics are central to the organisation of their society. Our discovery provides a striking demonstration that neuromodulators can produce age-dependent changes in behavioural proclivities in ants, and I suspect that this is also the case in other animals, including humans.
Harvard University is the oldest college in the entire country — it dates back to 1636. Bloomberg/Getty Images
The oldest colleges in each US state are among the most prestigious academic institutions.
The oldest college in the United States is Harvard University, founded in 1636.
Meanwhile, the most recent state to get its first college is Alaska.
Some of the United States’ colleges are older than America itself — the oldest, Harvard University, opened its doors in 1636.
Meanwhile, other states took longer to open their first colleges. The most recent state to get its first college is Alaska, whose University of Alaska Fairbanks celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017.
From Ivy League powerhouses to flagship public universities and lesser-known institutions with centuries of history, the oldest college in each state reflects a different chapter of American higher education.
For this list, we used the earliest founding date claimed by each operating institution, including dates associated with predecessor seminaries, academies, and schools that later became colleges.
the oldest college in every US state and Washington, DC.
ALABAMA: Spring Hill College in Mobile
Spring Hill College. Barry Winiker/Getty Images
Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, was founded in 1830 and claims to be Alabama’s oldest institution of higher learning.
According to the school’s website, it is the first Catholic college in the Southeast United States, the third-oldest Jesuit college, and the fifth-oldest Catholic college in the US.
ALASKA: The University of Alaska Fairbanks in Fairbanks
UAF
Founded in 1917, the University of Alaska Fairbanks began admitting students in 1922, according to the school’s website.
In 1935, the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines became the University of Alaska. The school awarded its first PhD in 1955.
ARIZONA: The University of Arizona in Tucson
ianmcdonnell/Getty Images
The University of Arizona dates back to 1885, with enrolment starting in 1891.
Britannica reported that in 1915, the university consisted of three colleges: letters, arts, and sciences; mines and engineering; and agriculture. Today, there are 20 colleges for students to choose from.
The University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas, was founded in 1834 by Cumberland Presbyterian officials. The first classes were held in a two-room log schoolhouse.
The name would eventually change from Cane Hill College to the College of the Ozarks and later the University of the Ozarks.
In 1957, the University of the Ozarks became the first traditionally white college in Arkansas to admit African American students, according to the school’s website.
CALIFORNIA: Santa Clara University in Santa Clara
Santa Clara University. NNehring/Getty Images
Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California, traces its origins to the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asís, which was founded in 1777.
The university itself was established in 1851 as a preparatory school and began offering collegiate courses two years later, in 1853.
The University of Denver Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post/Getty Images
The University of Denver dates back to 1864, when it was known as the Colorado Seminary.
According to the university’s website, it was founded just six years after Denver City was established in what was then the Colorado Territory. The university later opened one of the nation’s first business schools.
CONNECTICUT: Yale University in New Haven
Yale University. Bloomberg/Getty Images
Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, is one of America’s oldest educational institutions.
Yale University traces its roots to the 1640s, though the Connecticut legislature didn’t formally charter the collegiate school until 1701.
Seventeen years later, the institution was renamed Yale College in honour of its benefactor, Elihu Yale. Today, it ranks among the world’s most prestigious universities and is one of the eight Ivy League schools.
The University of Delaware was founded in 1743, making it one of the oldest educational institutions in the country.
According to the university’s website, a separate college opened in 1914 with 58 female students. In 1921, the two colleges merged to become the University of Delaware.
Georgetown University in Washington, DC, was founded in 1789. It is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit institution of higher learning in the United States.
Classes officially began in 1792, and enrolment grew to more than 40 students in the school’s first year.
Florida State University. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Florida State University in Tallahassee dates back to 1851, when the state legislature authorised two seminaries of learning.
Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, was chartered first. However, it wasn’t founded until 1885, making Florida State University technically the oldest in the state.
The University of Georgia. Jeff Greenberg/Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The University of Georgia in Athens became the first university in the country to have a state-supported charter in 1785. Its site in Athens was selected in 1801, and classes began that year.
Brigham Young University Idaho. Danamallard51/Getty Images
Brigham Young University–Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho, was founded in 1888. It started as Bannock Stake Academy and is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The institution officially became known as Brigham Young University-Idaho in August 2001.
ILLINOIS: McKendree University in Lebanon
McKendree University. McKendree University
McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, was founded in 1828 by pioneer Methodists in the state.
It is the oldest college in Illinois and the oldest in the nation with continuous ties to the United Methodist Church.
INDIANA: Vincennes University in Vincennes
Vincennes University. Google Maps
Vincennes University in Vincennes, Indiana, was founded in 1801 as Jefferson Academy, making it the state’s oldest institution of higher education.
The university is located in Indiana’s oldest city, where many historic buildings remain from the area’s early days as a French fur trading post.
IOWA: Loras College in Dubuque
Loras College. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, was founded in 1839 as a school intended to educate young men for the priesthood.
Loras College adopted its present name in 1939 and became a coeducational institution in the fall of 1971.
Baker University. Mark Reinstein/Corbis/Getty Images
Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, was founded in February 1858, making it the oldest college in the state. The university welcomed its first students later that year and has remained in operation ever since.
KENTUCKY: Transylvania University in Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky. halbergman/Getty Images
Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, traces its roots to 1780, making it the oldest college in Kentucky.
Although the university was founded before Kentucky became a state, its first classes weren’t held until 1785 in a log cabin near present-day Danville that belonged to one of the institution’s first board of trustees chairmen.
LOUISIANA: Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport was founded in 1825, when it was known as the College of Louisiana.
It is the 43rd-oldest college in the United States, and, according to the university’s website, tuition in the school’s early days was just $50 a year, and room, board, and firewood were $7 a month.
Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, was chartered in 1794, making it one of New England’s oldest colleges.
The institution welcomed its first students in 1802 and remained an all-male school for more than 160 years before admitting women for the first time in 1971.
Today, Bowdoin is consistently ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges.
MARYLAND: St John’s College in Annapolis
St. John’s College. Mark Gail/The Washington Post/Getty Images
St John’s College traces its roots to The King William’s School, which opened in Annapolis in 1696. Maryland chartered St John’s College in 1784, merging it with the earlier school.
According to the school’s website, it is the third-oldest college in the United States, behind Harvard University and the College of William and Mary.
MASSACHUSETTS: Harvard University in Cambridge
Harvard University. EasyBuy4u/Getty Images
Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the oldest college in the entire country — it dates back to 1636, predating the country’s founding by nearly 140 years.
The school was named after a young minister named John Harvard, who, according to the university, left his library and half of his estate to the institution upon his death in 1638.
MICHIGAN: The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sean Pavone/Getty Images
The University of Michigan was founded in 1817 as a preparatory school in Detroit. Britannica reported that the school moved to its present site in Ann Arbour in 1837.
MINNESOTA: University of Minnesota Twin Cities in Minneapolis
University of Minnesota Twin Cities in Minneapolis. LawrenceSawyer/Getty Images
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities was established in 1851, seven years before the creation of the state itself in 1858.
Both male and female students received instruction at the school until it closed during the Civil War. The University of Minnesota reopened in 1867 and was reorganised as a university in 1869.
MISSISSIPPI: Mississippi College in Clinton
Mississippi College/Yelp
Founded in 1826 as Hampstead Academy, Mississippi College is the oldest college in Mississippi.
It is located in Clinton, Mississippi, and was renamed Mississippi Academy in January 1827, when the school began offering classes to both male and female students.
MISSOUR I: Saint Louis University in St Louis
Saint Louis University. Raymond Boyd/Getty Images
Saint Louis University was founded inside a private residence near the Mississippi River at the request of the Rev. Louis William DuBourg, Catholic Bishop of Louisiana, in 1818.
Not only is Saint Louis University the oldest educational institution of higher learning in Missouri, but it’s also the oldest university west of the Mississippi River, according to the school’s website.
MONTANA: Rocky Mountain College in Billings
Rocky Mountain College. Rocky Mountain College
Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, dates back to 1878 and originally comprised three separate colleges.
In 1947, the schools combined to become Billings Polytechnic Institute, later named Rocky Mountain College.
NEBRASKA: Peru State College in Peru
Peru State College. Peru State College/Yelp
Peru State College is the oldest college in Nebraska — it was founded in 1867. It was originally established as a teacher-training school, with 60 students attending classes in a single building.
However, the institution has since expanded considerably.
NEVADA: The University of Nevada in Reno
The University of Nevada. Wirestock/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The University of Nevada was founded in 1874 following the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862.
The university’s first iteration was located in Elko but has since moved to Reno, Nevada.
NEW HAMPSHIRE RE: Dartmouth College in Hanover
Dartmouth College. Patrick Donovan/Getty Images
Dartmouth College was founded in 1769. It’s the ninth-oldest university in the nation, according to the school, and has been in operation for more than 250 years.
NEW JERSEY: Princeton University in Princeton
John Greim / Getty Images
Princeton University was chartered in 1746, making it the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States.
Originally founded as the College of New Jersey, the school moved to Princeton in 1756 and officially adopted the name Princeton University in 1896.
NEW MEXICO: New Mexico State University in Las Cruces
New Mexico State University. NMSU
New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico, was founded in 1888 as the state’s first land-grant university, according to the school.
Throughout its history, the university has operated under multiple names, including Las Cruces College and New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts.
NEW YORK: Columbia University in New York
Rob Kim/Getty Images
Columbia University is the oldest college in the state of New York. It was founded in 1754 as King’s College by a royal charter of King George II of England.
According to the school’s website, it is the fifth-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and played a vital role in American history through some of its first students and trustees, namely John Jay, who served as the first chief justice of the United States, and Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury.
NORTH CAROLINA: Salem College in Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Kruck20/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Salem College was founded as a girls’ school in 1772, four years before the United States declared its independence from Great Britain. It became known as the Salem Female Academy in the mid-19th century and awarded its first bachelor’s degrees in 1890.
It remains the oldest educational institution for girls and women in America, according to the college’s website.
NORTH DAKOTA: The University of North Dakota in Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota. DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The University of North Dakota was founded in 1883, six years before North Dakota was recognised as a state. The very first graduating class was coeducational and consisted of six women and two men.
Of them, Dr Cora Smith King became the first woman to receive a medical licence in the state of North Dakota, according to the university’s website.
OHIO: Ohio University in Athens
Ohio University. Posnov/Getty Images
In 1804, the Ohio legislature approved a new act that established Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Ohio University first offered classes in 1809, when the institution operated more similarly to a high school than a college.
In 1822, after Ohio University hired a team of more highly skilled faculty members, the school began offering a traditional college programme.
OKLAHOMA: University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond
Shay B./Yelp
The University of Central Oklahoma was founded in 1890.
In November 1891, the very first class of 23 students met in the Epworth League Room inside the unfurnished First Methodist Church, according to the school’s website.
Willamette University was established in 1842 as a missionary school.
The university is one of the oldest coeducational colleges in the United States — the very first graduate of the university was a woman, and women were attending the School of Medicine as early as 1877, according to the Willamette University website.
PENNSYLVANIA: The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia
University of Pennsylvania. Jon Lovette/Getty Images
The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia dates back to 1740, when it was established as a charity school that would also house a place of worship for local people in Pennsylvania.
It was the first American institution of higher learning to officially bear the name “university,” according to the school.
RHODE ISLAND: Brown University in Providence
Sayles Hall on Brown University’s campus in Providence, Rhode Island on April 25, 2019. Lane Turner/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Brown University was founded in 1764 as the third college in New England and the seventh in America.
Originally located in Warren, Rhode Island, it was the first Ivy League school to accept students from all religious affiliations.
SOUTH CAROLINA: College of Charleston in Charleston
College of Charleston. Leamus/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The College of Charleston was founded in 1770 and officially chartered in 1785. The city of Charleston took control of the college in 1836, making it the first municipal college in the nation.
SOUTH DAKOTA: Augustana University in Sioux Falls
Augustana University. Education Images/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, traces its origins to Hillsboro Academy, a school founded in Hillsboro, Illinois, in 1835.
The institution officially became Augustana in 1860, when its first class was held on September 1. It moved to Canton in Dakota Territory in 1884 and eventually to Sioux Falls in 1918.
The University of South Dakota, the oldest public university in the state, was founded in 1862, but Augustana’s roots stretch back further.
TENNESSEE: Tusculum University in Tusculum
Tusculum College. Rob B./Yelp
The school was chartered in 1794 as Greeneville College.
In 1844, the renamed Tusculum Academy officially adopted the name Tusculum College, and in 2018, it became Tusculum University.
TEXAS: Southwestern University in Georgetown
Southwestern College
Southwestern University in Georgetown traces its roots to four predecessor institutions, the earliest of which was chartered in 1840, five years after Colonel William B. Travis wrote a letter to the New York Christian Advocate requesting that a Methodist presence be established in Texas, according to the school’s website.
The four institutions merged to form the current university in 1873.
It claims to have been the site of many firsts, including the first homecoming on record and the first student literary journal in the state.
UTAH: The University of Utah in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah. 4kodiak/Getty Images
Originally named the University of Deseret, the University of Utah in Salt Lake City was founded in 1850.
The first term began in November 1850, during which time only male students were admitted. At the start of the second term, both men and women were allowed to attend.
VERMONT: Vermont State University’s Castleton campus in Castleton
Castleton University. Castleton University
Vermont State University’s Castleton campus traces its origins to the Rutland County Grammar School, founded in 1787.
Castleton University, which sits on a historic 165-acre campus, became part of the newly created Vermont State University in 2023.
VIRGINIA: College of William & Mary in Williamsburg
College of William & Mary. Jeff Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
The College of William & Mary is located in the historic colonial town of Williamsburg, Virginia, and dates back to 1693.
It is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in the US and has a long list of esteemed and influential alumni.
American presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler all studied at William & Mary, as did 16 members of the Continental Congress and four signers of the Declaration of Independence.
WASHINGTON: The University of Washington in Seattle
University of Washington. Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
The University of Washington in Seattle, originally named the Territorial University of Washington, is the oldest in the state — it was founded in 1861.
In 1867, tuition at UW was just $30, according to the school.
WEST VIRGINIA: Bethany College in Bethany
Bethany College. Bethany College
Bethany College was founded in 1840, though the town of Bethany dates back to 1769.
By the time West Virginia was recognised as a US state in 1863, Bethany College was the only institution of higher learning in the state to offer collegiate degrees, according to the school.
WISCONSIN: Carroll University in Waukesha
Carroll University. Carroll University
Carroll University was chartered in 1846 by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature, two years before Wisconsin became a state. The school was originally established as an academy in 1841 by settlers living in the Wisconsin Territory community of Prairieville.
When the college first opened, its enrolment consisted of five students and two faculty members, Eleazar Root and John W. Sterling, according to the university’s website.
WYOMING: The University of Wyoming in Laramie
The University of Wyoming. PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
The University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming, was founded as a land-grant university in 1886. When the school first opened, there were five faculty members and 42 students, according to the university.
Editor’s note: This story was first published in October 2018 and most recently updated in August 2026.
Aaron McKenna believes winning the middleweight title will pave the way for fights against some of the biggest names in boxing.
Ireland’s McKenna gets his dream fight for the world title on Saturday.
The fight will be live on Sky Sports when he boxes Etinosa Oliha for the IBF championship at the 3Arena in Dublin.
“It’s something I’ve been dreaming of since I started boxing at six years old. Finally, getting a fight for the world title in Ireland makes this opportunity extra special,” McKenna told Sky Sports.
“I have goosebumps just thinking about fighting in there with that Irish atmosphere.
“20 years I’ve been boxing and it’s all going to come down to this night.”
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“I want to become undisputed and then become a multiple weight world champion. I’m 6ft 2, I can go all the way to heavyweight with my size! By the time my career’s over I’ll be fighting at heavyweight! That said, I want to clean up the middleweight division because it definitely is there to be cleaned up and just have the biggest fights possible,” he said.
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Speaking ahead of his IBF world middleweight title fight against Etinosa Oliha, Aaron McKenna claims he’s the best middleweight in the world.
He would welcome a fight with Chris Eubank Jr. The Brighton star, the son of British legend Chris Eubank, last boxed at middleweight and is expected to return at 168 lbs. McKenna is convinced it could happen
“100 per cent,” he said.
“Try and get a win for the Eubank name [in Ireland],” McKenna urged. “You had Eubank [Senior] and Steve Collins; they fought in Cork on Sky Sports.
So you never know. If he wants to run a similar story back, we can do it in Ireland on Sky Sports again; just recreate history.
“After this show on August 8, Irish boxing will have a big star and it’s going to bring massive, massive headlines and a new audience to Irish boxing.”
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Aaron McKenna talks about his unlikely friendship with Kendrick Lamar after meeting at a training session with his brother.
He knows, though, that Oliha harbours those ambitions. “He’s a very good fighter, strong; he’ll be game and any man that’s fighting for world titles is going to be giving it their all,” McKenna said.
His faith in himself, though, is total. “I know what I have to do,” he added. “I’m more than ready for it.
“The main goal has always been the world title since I started boxing and I’ve always believed I would become world champion. So on August 8, becoming world champion will definitely create many opportunities for me.
Morning opening: Hungary ‘within millimetres’ of shutting down its nuclear plant as region fights extreme weather and droughts
Hungary has come “within millimetres” of having to shut down its nuclear power plant overnight, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said, as low water levels in the Danube continue to pose challenges for countries in south-eastern Europe.
The Paks Nuclear Power Plant, located in Dunaszentbenedek, Hungary, is shown with the partially dried-up Danube riverbed. Photograph: Bernadett Szabó/Reuters
“Around 1:30 a.m. we were a few millimetres away from completely shutting down the Paks Power Plant, but then the water level stopped falling, and by morning it had risen 1.5 centimetres. The last turbine is currently operating safely,” Magyar said on social media.
The plant already operates at a reduced capacity of just over 10% after the Danube fell to a record low, making it impossible to cool it properly.
Energy minister István Kapitány said on Tuesday that a number of energy-saving measures succeeded in lowering energy consumption to keep the grid secure.
Several businesses have made significant adjustments to their normal ways of working to save energy consumption during the peak hours. For example, grocery chain Lidl changed its baking shifts and turned off its drink fridges – despite temperatures expected to get close to 40°C. Electric car chargers in their parking can only be used until 5pm, HVG reported.
Over in Romania, the government celebrated a two-centimetre rise in water levels after yesterday’s spectacular controlled explosion, intended to divert the flow of the Danube to help cool its Cernavodă nuclear plant.
The plant manager told local media that it should help keep the plant running over the coming days, but more interventions are planned today, including sinking old barges to further divert the flow of water.
Temperatures are set to surpass 40°C in large parts of Romania again today.
Elsewhere, I will monitor the much-anticipated meeting of EU interior ministers, who will discuss last week’s migration crisis in Ceuta, amid questions about the EU’s relationship with Morocco and the steps needed to secure the bloc’s external borders.
People are waiting in line to receive food and beverages from the Red Cross, following mass crossings on foot and by sea from Morocco into Spanish territory in Ceuta, Spain. Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters
They are meeting at 10am Brussels time, and we should hear from the EU’s migration commissioner, Magnus Brunner, in the early afternoon.
I will bring you all the latest lines here.
It’s Tuesday, 4 August 2026; it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
At least 75 people died in Ceuta border crisis, EU ministers told by Spain
Meanwhile, French interior minister Laurent Nuñez is currently on French TV, speaking after today’s meeting of the bloc’s ministers to discuss the latest on Ceuta.
He says that during the three-hour meeting, the ministers expressed their “solidarity” with Spain and praised how Madrid handled the crisis last week. (Erm, did not sound like it last week!)
He says the Spanish minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, told colleagues that some 70,000 crossed the border and were returned to Morocco.
75 dead bodies have been recovered so far, Grande-Malaska told ministers, stressing that this figure was “preliminary” and could rise further.
The ministers also discussed the measures taken by Spain to strengthen its border, including a new floating barrier.
Work continues on the installation of a floating buoy marking the jurisdictional waters off Tarajal Beach in Ceuta, Spain. Photograph: REDUAN/EPA
(This may not sound like a lot, but it’s a legally critical point as it will clearly classify any attempt to cross the border as falling under one of the exceptions to the recent Supreme Court restrictive ruling on pushbacks, allowing authorities for speedier processing of repatriation.)
Nuñez also said the ministers were concerned about attempts to sow disinformation about the crisis and “interference” by foreign states in a bid to criticise the bloc and “sow division” among member states.
He says France remains available to help Spain in whatever way possible. In this context, he mentions France’s decision to strengthen its checks on its borders with Spain to prevent “secondary movements”, including towards France and the UK.
The minister also stresses the need to fight against human smuggling gangs, including the work “upstream” in the countries of origin.
He also says all countries strongly backed the EU’s Asylum and Migration Pact, which he called “indispensable” in the fight against irregular migration.
But hear more about this proposal – and the EU’s initial response – from the bloc’s migration commissioner, Brunner, during his press conference in the next hour.
I will bring you the key lines here when it happens.
Italy pushes for EU-funded overseas migrant processing centres modelled on controversial Albania deal
Well, turns out you don’t quite need to be a fly on the wall to know what the EU ministers are talking about in the context of last week’s events in Ceuta, as some of them are actually quite keen to make their remarks public.
Italy is understood to have called for EU-funded migrant processing centres and return hubs in third countries, with interior minister Matteo Piantedosi telling ministers that they “must act as a united, cohesive bloc to stop departures at their source and return those who have no right to remain on EU territory”, a copy of his speech released by his office showed.
Italian interior minister Matteo Piantedosi speaking during a TV interview last month. Photograph: Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse/Shutterstock
“Now the time has come to put into practice new hub models for the external processing of asylum procedures and for returns in safe third countries,” he was quoted by Reuters as saying.
But as we extensively covered in the Guardian, the apparent model for this solution – Italy’s controversial deal with Albania – has faced numerous legal challenges.
The Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Michael O’Flaherty, wrote for us last month saying that “without iron-clad legal safeguards, offshore migration centres can only repeat the worst mistakes of the recent past.”
Czechia and Slovakia report record-breaking nighttime temperatures
Other countries in central and eastern Europe are also reporting disruptions caused by the extreme weather conditions.
The Czech Republic has recorded the highest nighttime temperature since records began, with 27.9°C in Bystřice pod Hostýnem, ČT24 reported.
A similar record was broken across the border, in Slovakia, with 27.5°C overnight in Plavecký Peter, surpassing the previous record from 2013, Pravda reported.
Temperatures are expected to rise up to 39C later today.
A woman pours a cup of cold water on her face as she cools off in the Tisza River near the village of Male Trakany, eastern Slovakia Photograph: a
Oh, interesting: the EU migration commissioner Brunner has just pushed back his press conference by about an hour, as the meeting is still ongoing.
It’s now expected after 2pm local time (1pm UK).
Oh, to be a fly on the wall on that call.
EU ‘monitoring very closely’ energy crunch in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania
Meanwhile, the European Commission said it was “monitoring very closely” the situation in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania as the region faces an energy crunch caused by the ongoing heatwave and drought.
A drone view shows sandbanks on the Old Danube river ramification in Rasova, Constanta, Romania. Photograph: George Calin/Reuters
Energy spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said, “The low Danube levels will clearly have an impact on nuclear generation along the route,” and the issue “concerns several member states.”
The commission was ready to “convene an electricity coordination group as soon as there is a need for it”.
“Generally speaking, climate risks and extreme weather events have been embedded in many of our energy and transport policies for some time, so we will obviously include these aspects in all our future work as well,” she said.
We are expecting to hear from the EU’s migration commissioner, Magnus Brunner, in the next hour, as he will brief journalists on today’s meeting of the bloc’s interior ministers on Ceuta.
Morocco says it warned Spain about ‘a problem’ with Spain’s top court ruling on migration
Back to discussions on Ceuta, now under way in Brussels (10:08), a senior Moroccan official claimed that Morocco had warned Spain that a recent Spanish court ruling that migrants arriving by sea would not face immediate removal was going to create “a problem”, AFP reported.
Spain’s Supreme Court ruled on 8 July that migrants arriving by sea should not be returned as quickly as others, and Madrid has blamed criminal gangs for spreading misinformation about the ruling.
“We started engaging with the Spanish side around 22-23 July, when the networks began talking about the issue,” the Moroccan senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday night.
“We discussed this ruling and its impact. We explained that this ruling was going to create a problem. And it did create a problem,” he said.
A group of migrants approach the border post to make their way back to Morocco, escorted by Spanish infantry soldiers, in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images
The official also rejected any suggestion that Morocco was to be blamed for the crisis, saying, “At a certain point, the Moroccan law enforcement forces could no longer confront the migrants because the numbers were huge” and because “the pull effect was forceful,” he said.
“Today, it is up to Spain to find answers to the challenges posed by this ruling,” he said.
Spain has responded to the ruling recently by installing new border containment structures that would give them a legal basis to use an exemption in the court’s ruling and allow them to send migrants back across the border.
Magyar praises people’s solidarity amid energy crunch, but warns of ‘hardest days ahead’
Meanwhile, Hungary’s prime minister, Péter Magyar, praised the solidarity of Hungarians after the country faced “the most difficult and critical night” amid a heatwave and energy crunch.
Hungarian prime minister Péter Magyar (L) and acting president Ágnes Forsthoffer hold a joint press conference at the Sandor Palace in Budapest, Hungary. Photograph: Balint Szentgallay/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
In a video on Facebook, Magyar repeated that the Paks power plant was just “millimetres away” from being shut down overnight, but the water levels had started rising again as of this morning.
He praised the “solidarity” shown by Hungarians in reducing their energy consumption and thanked those who are working to stabilise the country’s energy grid in these challenging circumstances.
“Tonight’s turn of events gives us cause for optimism, but the hardest days are still ahead of us,” he warned, as Hungary faces a few more days of extreme temperatures.
“Scorching heat of over 40°C, drought, and further hardships await, but light can now be seen at the end of the tunnel as cooler weather arrives from Friday and, hopefully, much-needed rain in the upper areas of the Danube,” he said.
Temperatures in Budapest are expected to get close to 40C later today.
4.3 magnitude earthquake reported in Pisa, Italy
Meanwhile, a 4.3 magnitude earthquake was reported in the Italian city of Pisa, which was also felt in Livorno, Lucca and Massa Carrara in northern Tuscany, Italian media reported.
The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported that the earthquake’s epicentre was 7km west of Pisa.
The Tuscan president Eugenio Gianisaid the authorities were checking across the region to see if there’s any damage. He later added that while “hundreds” of calls to emergency services were made, there are currently no reports of injuries.
Last Thursday, a 4.7 quake was also reported in the Campi Flegrei caldera, west of Naples.
Ceuta leader accuses Morocco over ‘atrocity’ of mass border crossing
Ashifa Kassam in Madrid, Okba Mohammad in Ceuta and Lisa O’Carroll in London
A growing chorus of voices has accused Morocco of helping to fuel the crisis in Ceuta, with the leader of the Spanish enclave describing last week’s border crossings as an attack on Spain’s territorial integrity that was seen as being “if not orchestrated, at least encouraged or permitted by Morocco”.
Migrants hold signs reading “asylum” in Spanish while waiting in line to receive food and beverages from the Red Cross, following mass crossings of migrants on foot and by sea from Morocco into Spanish territory in Ceuta, Spain. Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters
Spanish officials said on Monday that an estimated 69,500 people who had arrived late last week in Ceuta, a tiny Spanish territory in north Africa, had returned to Morocco in recent days. About 2,500 people who had made the crossing were still in Ceuta, officials believed.
The extraordinary influx had overwhelmed the city of 84,000 people and set off a political crisis across the EU as some member states laid blame on Spain.
In Ceuta, leaders pointed to the broader picture of what had transpired. “It’s an atrocity,” said Juan Jesús Vivas, the long-serving conservative leader of the territory.
“There are 88 bodies in the morgue, and there are more on the other side of the border.”
He said local people watched the events play out with a mix of sadness, worry and anguish.
“People see the situation not as a migration crisis; it was fundamentally an attack, a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity,” Vivas told El País newspaper. “People felt that the incident, if not orchestrated, was at least encouraged or permitted by Morocco.”
He drew a parallel with May 2021, when Rabat loosened border controls, allowing 10,000 people to cross into Ceuta over the course of two days, during a diplomatic standoff over Madrid’s decision to allow a Western Sahara independence leader to be treated for Covid-19 in Spain.
This time around, analysts have suggested that Spain’s recent rapprochement with Rabat’s arch-enemy Algeria could have triggered a response from Morocco.
EU ministers to discuss bloc’s response to Ceuta migration crisis today
Jennifer Rankin
in Brussels
Over in Brussels, after a weekend of backbiting over the response to the mass border crossings in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, EU ministers will seek to present a more unified front – and signal tougher security at Europe’s frontiers.
Migrants wait in line to receive food and beverages from the Red Cross, following mass crossings on foot and by sea from Morocco into Spanish territory in Ceuta, Spain. Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters
EU home affairs ministers are meeting at 10.30 CET via video conference to assess the bloc’s response to the arrival – and quick departure – of tens of thousands of people in Spanish territory in North Africa. Around 100 people are estimated to have died on both sides of the Spanish-Moroccan border.
Ministers are not expected to take decisions, but EU sources think they will give a broad endorsement to the measures outlined by the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, on Monday, intended to ensure stronger border protection “at critical points” of the EU’s external borders.
Von der Leyen wants to double down on five areas: strengthening cooperation with non-EU countries to prevent migration; stronger external borders; implementing early warning systems; dismantling smuggling networks; and boosting returns of people with no right to stay.
At a meeting of senior EU diplomats on Monday, several countries stressed the importance of preventing sudden movements of people, calling for greater use of intelligence and monitoring of disinformation and misinformation.
While Madrid’s envoy voiced his government’s frustration with the response from some member states, others rejected suggestions that they had failed to show solidarity over the sudden influx of arrivals.
Several member states said they were ready to help and reflected on their experience: Poland and Lithuania referred to the instrumentalisation of people on the move by the Belarusian dictatorship, while Italy and Greece spoke of their dealings with the sudden arrival of large numbers of people. But despite the warm words, many governments remain critical of Spain’s plan to regularise 500,000 undocumented migrants, which has triggered nearly 1.2 million applications.
One EU diplomat said:
“There is some concern that the regularisation of 1.2m people can be used to paint a picture that the door is open.”
This issue is set to run. And EU migration policy in general, including controversial plans for return hubs, will be high on the agenda in the autumn, including at the EU’s next scheduled summit in October.
Danube drought – in pictures
Usually submerged areas of the Danube River are exposed amid exceptionally low water levels in Rasova, Romania. Photograph: Vadim Ghirdă/APA drone view shows Romanian authorities using a dredging ship to alter the flow of water on the Danube’s old branch, near Izvoarele, Romania. Photograph: George Calin/ReutersA man splashes water on a horse to cool it off next to a bank of sand on the Danube River, as usually submerged areas are exposed due to extreme low levels of the water in Roseti, Romania. Photograph: Andreea Alexandru/APAn aerial drone photo shows the exposed riverbed of the Danube River in Dunaszentbenedek, Hungary. Photograph: Xinhua/ShutterstockThe Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite shows the Danube River and its water levels as it passes through the town of Paks, as well as the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, south of Budapest, Hungary. Photograph: COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA 2026/AFP/ Getty Images
Morning opening: Hungary ‘within millimetres’ of shutting down its nuclear plant as region fights extreme weather and droughts
Jakub Krupa
Hungary has come “within millimetres” of having to shut down its nuclear power plant overnight, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said, as low water levels in the Danube continue to pose challenges for countries in south-eastern Europe.
The Paks Nuclear Power Plant, located in Dunaszentbenedek, Hungary, is shown with the partially dried-up Danube riverbed. Photograph: Bernadett Szabó/Reuters
“Around 1:30 a.m. we were a few millimetres away from completely shutting down the Paks Power Plant, but then the water level stopped falling, and by morning it had risen 1.5 centimetres. The last turbine is currently operating safely,” Magyar said on social media.
The plant already operates at a reduced capacity of just over 10% after the Danube fell to a record low, making it impossible to cool it properly.
Energy minister István Kapitány said on Tuesday that a number of energy-saving measures succeeded in lowering energy consumption to keep the grid secure.
Several businesses have made significant adjustments to their normal ways of working to save energy consumption during the peak hours. For example, grocery chain Lidl changed its baking shifts and turned off its drink fridges – despite temperatures expected to get close to 40°C. Electric car chargers in their parking can only be used until 5pm, HVG reported.
Over in Romania, the government celebrated a two-centimetre rise in water levels after yesterday’s spectacular controlled explosion, intended to divert the flow of the Danube to help cool its Cernavodă nuclear plant.
The plant manager told local media that it should help keep the plant running over the coming days, but more interventions are planned today, including sinking old barges to further divert the flow of water.
Temperatures are set to surpass 40°C in large parts of Romania again today.
Elsewhere, I will monitor the much-anticipated meeting of EU interior ministers, who will discuss last week’s migration crisis in Ceuta, amid questions about the EU’s relationship with Morocco and the steps needed to secure the bloc’s external borders.
People are waiting in line to receive food and beverages from the Red Cross, following mass crossings on foot and by sea from Morocco into Spanish territory in Ceuta, Spain. Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters
They are meeting at 10am Brussels time, and we should hear from the EU’s migration commissioner, Magnus Brunner, in the early afternoon.
I will bring you all the latest lines here.
It’s Tuesday, 4 August 2026; it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
