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The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside the messy love lives of Gavin & Stacey cast..from groping claim to star's affair & James Corden's pass at singer
IT'S the TV series that proves that love conquers all - even culture clashes, long distance and in the case of Smithy and Nessa, the awkward fact that he's marrying someone else. But while our favourite Gavin and Stacey characters got their happily ever after in last year's 20 Ruth Jones, Mat Horne, Joanna Page and James Corden found fame and fortune in Gavin and Stacey Credit: Baby Cow 20 The sitcom was a hit, but its stars haven't been quite so lucky in love Credit: PA 20 Ruth Jones announced this week that she'd split from her husband, David Peet Credit: Rex Just take actress Yesterday, the 58 year old revealed that she'd She added in a statement, 'We remain good friends. Since our separation, Ruth is living in London and David is living in Canada, where he is in a new relationship'. It's since been revealed he's dating education assistant Jayne Charity Cook, 46, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Gavin and Stacey star. READ MORE IN FEATURES As friendly as it may be, the break-up has still come as a shock to many - not least given the fact that Ruth and David were together for almost three decades. Yet their relationship wasn't without its drama early doors. The pair first met in the 1990s while filming the pilot episode of a BBC comedy; but while she was single, he was married with three children. She later admitted Most read in Showbiz She's since spoken about her guilt over the way things started, reflecting, 'Affairs cause a lot of pain; they're not something one aspires to do. You don't aspire to cause pain to people in their life." As for the rest of the Gavin and Stacey gang, nobody's had it quite so tidy in the love department. In fact, for most of them, it's been downright messy. So, what's occurring when it comes to their respective romantic foibles behind the scenes? Watch the sweet moment Ruth Jones reunites with Neil the Baby after Gavin and Stacey finale James Corden 20 He previously dated Sheridan Smith, who played his sister on the show Credit: Getty 20 He married his wife, Julia Carey, in 2012 Credit: Getty 20 James flirted with Lily in an awkward exchange Credit: Rex Features Before meeting his wife, The pair dated - on and off - for two years, before In the meantime, during one of their off-spells, James famously tried it on with Reports from the time suggested they did in fact go on several dates, but Lily shut down the rumours quickly, revealing, 'No, I wasn't horny for James Corden…he came on to me in front of a studio audience. 'If I'd have shut him down, I would have been labelled cold or up myself or snobbish.' James admitted he had been trying to hook up with the star, explaining: "I made it my aim to make Lily mine. I guess we were friends but, for my part, I definitely wanted more than that." His efforts may not have made the singer Smile, but James had better luck with Julia, who he met after finally ending things for good with Sheridan. They got together in 2009 and married three years later, with James revealing on Good Morning Britain, 'I absolutely knew minute one that I couldn't do any better than this. 'When I met Jules, I was like it's a miracle every day. She must just look at me and think, 'What did I do? This was a huge mistake.' Despite his concerns, it seems the feeling's mutual. The couple, who share three children together - Max, 14, Carey, 10, and Charlotte, seven - are still going strong, and A marriage that survives Hollywood? As Smithy would say, sounds like they're two peas in a bag. Mat Horne 20 Mat Horne was previously engaged to Evelyn Hoskins 20 After they split, he met and fell in love with Celina Bassili Credit: Getty The pair announced their engagement in October 2018, but the happy news was short lived as - months later - he was spotted kissing Norwegian set designer But Evelyn's loss was Celina's gain - As for previous rumours that he once dated Kylie Minogue, the actor's jokingly rubbished the very thought of it. The 46-year-old previously told The Sun, 'If I'd shagged Kylie everyone would know about it. I would have a T-shirt and a tattoo telling them. 'The idea of people camping outside my mum's house last year to ask her if i'm seeing Kylie is ridiculous. Of course nothing happened…she's Kylie!' Joanna Page 20 Joanna's been with husband James Thornton since 1999 (pictured here in 2012) Credit: Getty 20 They hit a rough patch during Covid, but have since come back stronger Credit: Getty As Stacey, And, for the most part, her personal life has followed suit. She met fellow actor They now share four children - Eva, 12, Kit, 10, Noah, eight, and Boe, three - and live happily in Henley-on-Thames. However, she did admit things 'We spent the whole of the first lockdown arguing and threatening to divorce each other,' she's previously said. 'Then we went through a month of literally not saying a single word to each other.' They've since come back fighting - and Joanna's spoken about spending more time together one-on-one. Speaking to Natalie Cassidy on the She said: 'I thought stuff it, I'm going to take me and him away for a couple of days because we've never really been away for a good few days, just the pair of us." Sounds lush to us. Alison Steadman 20 Alison was previously married to director Mike Leigh (pictured here in 1993) Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd 20 She's since been loved up long-term with actor Michael Elwyn Credit: Rex The pair met at East 15 Acting School in 1967, and got married in 1973, before welcoming two sons together - Toby, now 46, and Leo, now 43. During their marriage, Alison often appeared in Mike's films, including Abigail's Party, Nuts in May and Life is Sweet. They split in 1995 and divorced in 2001, but always remained close - and are now dedicated grandparents to Freddy, seven, and Milo, one. What's more, Alison got her second stab at happily ever after when she met Welsh actor The pair have now been together for 27 years and enjoy a cosy life in north London, which includes a mutual love of bird watching. In 2022, she paid tribute to her long-term partner, saying, "I really appreciate how wonderful it is to enjoy doing things with someone at this stage of life, knowing we'll be together until one of us flies away up to heaven." Larry Lamb 20 Larry pictured with his third ex-wife, Linda Martin, and their son George Lamb Credit: Getty 20 He's since found love with Marie Victorine Credit: Brian Roberts - The Sun As Mick, Larry played the patient and down-to-earth antidote to his wife Pam's theatrics. But in real life, Larry's love life reads a little more dramatically. Sadly, he only met her once, when she was seven months old, as Vanessa was subsequently adopted by her mother's new husband. Larry has since expressed his sadness and longing to connect with Vanessa, stating that he thinks about his 'long-lost daughter' often and wondering if she ever had children herself. As for his romantic life, he didn't let divorce slow him down. His second short-lived marriage was to an American nurse named Jacquie Parris. Then, following a brief fling with The pair had one son together - TV presenter And since then, it seems Larry's had a different attitude when it comes to marriage, deciding that three was enough after all. In the mid-1990s, he entered into a long-term relationship with actress They then split in 2016, and Larry's since been happily coupled up with artist Marie was there to greet Larry when he left the I'm A Celeb jungle soon after he split from Clare, and the pair now share a happy life - splitting their time between London and Marie's native France. Despite the fact that she's the great granddaughter of Rob Brydon 20 Rob and his second wife Clare Holland (pictured in 2015) Credit: Getty 20 The actor was hilarious as Uncle Bryn Credit: Handout In real life, he hasn't always had such glowing praise. The actor was married to his first wife But the pair split in 2001, leaving Rob 'traumatised'. He's since said it took him 16 years to be able to open up about his heartbreak, not even including it in his 2011 autobiography Small Man In A Book. Happily, he recovered from the turmoil and found love again with second wife To quote Uncle Bryn: 'It was complicated, Stacey. Very, very complicated.' Sheridan Smith 20 Sheridan gave birth to her and Jamie Horn's son Billy in 2020 Credit: Getty 20 She later rekindled things - briefly - with ex boyfriend Alex Lawler Credit: Instagram It's no secret that Sheridan, 43, has had a long and tumultuous dating history. After splitting from co-star James Corden - who played her brother on Gavin and Stacey - Sheridan briefly dated Scottish actor Ross McCall, and celebrity stylist Graham Nation, who tragically died earlier this year. She then went on to date Hollyoaks actor Unfortunately, their tattoos outlived their fling, which ended later that year. Sheridan then went on to date insurance broken They later got engaged, and she gave birth to their Meanwhile, amid their relationship, Sheridan was rocked by reports she'd 20 In 2018, hairdresser Shelley Cloud alleged that Sheridan had groped her 20 She briefly dated boxer Dave 'Rocky' Ryan but things fizzled out Credit: instagram Shelley alleged that Sheridan had boasted, 'I swing both ways you know' and had also complained about having to pay for her own £10,000 engagement ring. The actress never responded to the allegations, and she and Jamie remained committed for a while - before Later that year, Sheridan revealed she'd rekindled things with actor The pair seemed to delighted to be back in each other's lives, with Sheridan telling fans, 'Life works in mysterious ways', before calling things off again in 2022. She then went on to date As for her current dating life, the actress is keeping her cards close to her chest. But, safe to say, events so far have been distinctly untidy.
Time of India
an hour ago
- General
- Time of India
Trump administration responsible for starving kids in Kenya? US fund cuts results in massive shortage
In the Kakuma Refugee Camp in northwestern Kenya, hope is running out as fast as food supplies. More than 300,000 refugees, who have fled conflict and persecution across Africa and the Middle East, now face starvation as US funding faces cuts. The food rations have been slashed in less than half, and for many, hunger is an ever-present reality, as reported by BBC. Until this year, the UN was giving around $4 million (£3 million) in cash directly to refugees in Kenya 's camps each month, intended to allow families to buy basic supplies. These payments, known locally as bamba chakula , were distributed electronically and could only be used to purchase food, giving families the ability to supplement their rations with fresh produce, protein, and other essentials. The drastic reduction in food rations is the result of sweeping cuts in U.S. foreign aid, announced by the Trump administration earlier this year. The United States was previously the largest donor to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Kenya, providing about 70% of its funding. With the withdrawal of American support in March, the WFP has been forced to reduce rations to just 30% of the minimum dietary requirements needed to maintain health. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo 'If we are left managing this prolonged situation, we essentially have a population that is slowly starving,' warns Felix Okech, the WFP's refugee operations chief in Kenya. Seventeen-year-old Fatima, an aspiring teacher from South Sudan, skips meals so her younger siblings can eat. 'We used to have dreams. Now, we just try to survive,' she says. Fatima's school attendance has dropped sharply as she spends more time searching for odd jobs to help her family make ends meet. Live Events The Kakuma camp, originally built for 10,000 people, now shelters a population larger than many cities, with residents from over 20 countries. The camp's infrastructure is buckling under the strain, and the loss of U.S. funding has compounded the crisis, threatening to undo years of progress in health, education, and nutrition. 'The humanitarian funding pause didn't just delay aid—it fractured the foundation of how humanitarian support functions,' a humanitarian worker recently told DEVEX, echoing the sentiment of many aid organizations. The impact is starkly visible at Amusait Hospital within the camp. Malnourished children fill the 30-bed ward, their eyes hollow and skin flaking with patches of angry red. There are babies like Hellen and James, the latter just nine-months old. Both suffer from acute malnutrition. James' mother, a refugee from northern Uganda, pleads for help: 'The food is insufficient; my children eat only once daily. If there's no food, what can I give them?' Martin Komol, a 59-year-old widower from Uganda, rues his fate in his crumbling mud-walled home and wonders how he will survive until the next food distribution while speaking to AP. 'When we can't find anyone to assist us, we become ill, but when we seek help at the hospital, they tell us it's just hunger and send us back home,' he says, his voice breaking with exhaustion. Komol now eats just once a day, sometimes only every other day, relying on the kindness of neighbors when his monthly allocation runs out. Aisha, a single mother from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has watched her three children grow weaker each week. Her youngest, a toddler named Amina, is now too weak to walk. 'Every day, I pray for more food. I don't know what else to do,' Aisha says, cradling her child in the hospital's crowded ward.
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside the messy love lives of Gavin & Stacey cast..from groping claim to star's affair & James Corden's pass at singer
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT'S the TV series that proves that love conquers all - even culture clashes, long distance and in the case of Smithy and Nessa, the awkward fact that he's marrying someone else. But while our favourite Gavin and Stacey characters got their happily ever after in last year's Christmas special, we're afraid the same can't be said for their real-life alter egos. 20 Ruth Jones, Mat Horne, Joanna Page and James Corden found fame and fortune in Gavin and Stacey Credit: Baby Cow 20 The sitcom was a hit, but its stars haven't been quite so lucky in love Credit: PA 20 Ruth Jones announced this week that she'd split from her husband, David Peet Credit: Rex Just take actress Ruth Jones, who - as well as starring as Nessa - co-created the beloved series with James Corden. Yesterday, the 58 year old revealed that she'd 'amicably' split 18 months ago from her husband of 26 years, David Peet, 71, and said they were now 'legally separated'. She added in a statement, 'We remain good friends. Since our separation, Ruth is living in London and David is living in Canada, where he is in a new relationship'. It's since been revealed he's dating education assistant Jayne Charity Cook, 46, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Gavin and Stacey star. As friendly as it may be, the break-up has still come as a shock to many - not least given the fact that Ruth and David were together for almost three decades. Yet their relationship wasn't without its drama early doors. The pair first met in the 1990s while filming the pilot episode of a BBC comedy; but while she was single, he was married with three children. She later admitted there was some 'overlap' between her beginning her relationship with David, and him ending his marriage. They married in 1999, and Ruth became a step-mum to his three kids. She's since spoken about her guilt over the way things started, reflecting, 'Affairs cause a lot of pain; they're not something one aspires to do. You don't aspire to cause pain to people in their life." As for the rest of the Gavin and Stacey gang, nobody's had it quite so tidy in the love department. In fact, for most of them, it's been downright messy. So, what's occurring when it comes to their respective romantic foibles behind the scenes? Watch the sweet moment Ruth Jones reunites with Neil the Baby after Gavin and Stacey finale James Corden 20 He previously dated Sheridan Smith, who played his sister on the show Credit: Getty 20 He married his wife, Julia Carey, in 2012 Credit: Getty 20 James flirted with Lily in an awkward exchange Credit: Rex Features Before meeting his wife, Julia Carey, James, 46, had a tumultuous relationship with his co-star, Sheridan Smith. The pair dated - on and off - for two years, before finally calling it quits in 2008. In the meantime, during one of their off-spells, James famously tried it on with Lily Allen, after flirting with her on her BBC chat show. Reports from the time suggested they did in fact go on several dates, but Lily shut down the rumours quickly, revealing, 'No, I wasn't horny for James Corden…he came on to me in front of a studio audience. 'If I'd have shut him down, I would have been labelled cold or up myself or snobbish.' James admitted he had been trying to hook up with the star, explaining: "I made it my aim to make Lily mine. I guess we were friends but, for my part, I definitely wanted more than that." His efforts may not have made the singer Smile, but James had better luck with Julia, who he met after finally ending things for good with Sheridan. They got together in 2009 and married three years later, with James revealing on Good Morning Britain, 'I absolutely knew minute one that I couldn't do any better than this. 'When I met Jules, I was like it's a miracle every day. She must just look at me and think, 'What did I do? This was a huge mistake.' Despite his concerns, it seems the feeling's mutual. The couple, who share three children together - Max, 14, Carey, 10, and Charlotte, seven - are still going strong, and relocated the family back to the UK in 2023 after eight years in Los Angeles. A marriage that survives Hollywood? As Smithy would say, sounds like they're two peas in a bag. Mat Horne 20 Mat Horne was previously engaged to Evelyn Hoskins 20 After they split, he met and fell in love with Celina Bassili Credit: Getty Mat's alter-ego Gavin may have married Stacey in the finale of season one, but the actor didn't make it down the aisle with his first fiancée, Casualty star Evelyn Hoskins. The pair announced their engagement in October 2018, but the happy news was short lived as - months later - he was spotted kissing Norwegian set designer Celina Bassili. But Evelyn's loss was Celina's gain - the latter married Mat in 2021 in an intimate ceremony in Oslo, Norway, and they're still going strong. As for previous rumours that he once dated Kylie Minogue, the actor's jokingly rubbished the very thought of it. The 46-year-old previously told The Sun, 'If I'd shagged Kylie everyone would know about it. I would have a T-shirt and a tattoo telling them. 'The idea of people camping outside my mum's house last year to ask her if i'm seeing Kylie is ridiculous. Of course nothing happened…she's Kylie!' Joanna Page 20 Joanna's been with husband James Thornton since 1999 (pictured here in 2012) Credit: Getty 20 They hit a rough patch during Covid, but have since come back stronger Credit: Getty As Stacey, Joanna's always been a hopeless romantic. And, for the most part, her personal life has followed suit. She met fellow actor James Thornton on the set of David Copperfield in 1999 and they married four years later. They now share four children - Eva, 12, Kit, 10, Noah, eight, and Boe, three - and live happily in Henley-on-Thames. However, she did admit things hit the skids during COVID, when the couple found themselves struggling for the first time ever. 'We spent the whole of the first lockdown arguing and threatening to divorce each other,' she's previously said. 'Then we went through a month of literally not saying a single word to each other.' They've since come back fighting - and Joanna's spoken about spending more time together one-on-one. Speaking to Natalie Cassidy on the On The Telly podcast last year, she said she'd be taking James away for his 50th birthday. She said: 'I thought stuff it, I'm going to take me and him away for a couple of days because we've never really been away for a good few days, just the pair of us." Sounds lush to us. Alison Steadman 20 Alison was previously married to director Mike Leigh (pictured here in 1993) Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd 20 She's since been loved up long-term with actor Michael Elwyn Credit: Rex The actress, 78, who played Gavin's iconic mum Pam, was previously married to legendary director Mike Leigh. The pair met at East 15 Acting School in 1967, and got married in 1973, before welcoming two sons together - Toby, now 46, and Leo, now 43. During their marriage, Alison often appeared in Mike's films, including Abigail's Party, Nuts in May and Life is Sweet. They split in 1995 and divorced in 2001, but always remained close - and are now dedicated grandparents to Freddy, seven, and Milo, one. What's more, Alison got her second stab at happily ever after when she met Welsh actor Michael Elwyn. The pair have now been together for 27 years and enjoy a cosy life in north London, which includes a mutual love of bird watching. In 2022, she paid tribute to her long-term partner, saying, "I really appreciate how wonderful it is to enjoy doing things with someone at this stage of life, knowing we'll be together until one of us flies away up to heaven." Larry Lamb 20 Larry pictured with his third ex-wife, Linda Martin, and their son George Lamb Credit: Getty 20 He's since found love with Marie Victorine Credit: Brian Roberts - The Sun As Mick, Larry played the patient and down-to-earth antidote to his wife Pam's theatrics. But in real life, Larry's love life reads a little more dramatically. He married his first wife Anita Wisbey when he was just 21, and had one daughter with her - Vanessa, who was born in 1969. Sadly, he only met her once, when she was seven months old, as Vanessa was subsequently adopted by her mother's new husband. Larry has since expressed his sadness and longing to connect with Vanessa, stating that he thinks about his 'long-lost daughter' often and wondering if she ever had children herself. As for his romantic life, he didn't let divorce slow him down. His second short-lived marriage was to an American nurse named Jacquie Parris. Then, following a brief fling with Lady Colin Campbell, he married his third wife, Irish singer Linda Martin, in 1979. The pair had one son together - TV presenter George Lamb, now 45 - before splitting in 1996. And since then, it seems Larry's had a different attitude when it comes to marriage, deciding that three was enough after all. In the mid-1990s, he entered into a long-term relationship with actress Clare Burt, with whom he shares two daughters - Eloise, now 27, and Eva-Mathilde, now 22. They then split in 2016, and Larry's since been happily coupled up with artist Marie Victorine. Marie was there to greet Larry when he left the I'm A Celeb jungle soon after he split from Clare, and the pair now share a happy life - splitting their time between London and Marie's native France. Despite the fact that she's the great granddaughter of Les Misérables writer Victor Hugo, it seems there's nothing miserable about Larry and Marie's long-term love. Rob Brydon 20 Rob and his second wife Clare Holland (pictured in 2015) Credit: Getty 20 The actor was hilarious as Uncle Bryn Credit: Handout Rob, 60, won rave reviews for his turn as the hilariously eccentric Uncle Bryn in Gavin and Stacey. In real life, he hasn't always had such glowing praise. The actor was married to his first wife Martina Fitchie for nine years, welcoming three children together - Katie, 30, Harry, 28, and Amy, 25. But the pair split in 2001, leaving Rob 'traumatised'. He's since said it took him 16 years to be able to open up about his heartbreak, not even including it in his 2011 autobiography Small Man In A Book. Happily, he recovered from the turmoil and found love again with second wife Clare Holland, who he married in 2006. The couple have two sons - Tom, 17, and George, 14 - and live in south-west London. To quote Uncle Bryn: 'It was complicated, Stacey. Very, very complicated.' Sheridan Smith 20 Sheridan gave birth to her and Jamie Horn's son Billy in 2020 Credit: Getty 20 She later rekindled things - briefly - with ex boyfriend Alex Lawler Credit: Instagram It's no secret that Sheridan, 43, has had a long and tumultuous dating history. After splitting from co-star James Corden - who played her brother on Gavin and Stacey - Sheridan briefly dated Scottish actor Ross McCall, and celebrity stylist Graham Nation, who tragically died earlier this year. She then went on to date Hollyoaks actor Greg Wood in 2015 - and, in a regrettable move, got her right rib tattooed with the words 'Gregory's Girl'. He returned the favour, with the tattoo 'My Sheri Amour'. Unfortunately, their tattoos outlived their fling, which ended later that year. Sheridan then went on to date insurance broken Jamie Horn, after meeting on Tinder. They later got engaged, and she gave birth to their son Billy in May 2020. Meanwhile, amid their relationship, Sheridan was rocked by reports she'd 'put her hands all over' her hairdresser Shelley Cloud during a boozy session at her home in 2018. 20 In 2018, hairdresser Shelley Cloud alleged that Sheridan had groped her 20 She briefly dated boxer Dave 'Rocky' Ryan but things fizzled out Credit: instagram Shelley alleged that Sheridan had boasted, 'I swing both ways you know' and had also complained about having to pay for her own £10,000 engagement ring. The actress never responded to the allegations, and she and Jamie remained committed for a while - before splitting in 2021. Later that year, Sheridan revealed she'd rekindled things with actor Alex Lawler - who she'd previously dated 20 years prior. The pair seemed to delighted to be back in each other's lives, with Sheridan telling fans, 'Life works in mysterious ways', before calling things off again in 2022. She then went on to date former boxer Dave 'Rocky' Ryan, but - by early 2024 - things had 'fizzled out'. As for her current dating life, the actress is keeping her cards close to her chest. But, safe to say, events so far have been distinctly untidy.
India Today
an hour ago
- Politics
- India Today
Khamenei's fatwa against nukes: Did Iran sell a lie to the world?
"When preserving Muslim blood becomes obligatory for everyone, if preserving the life of one Muslim depends on you, even lying becomes obligatory for you," said the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. This willingness to lie in times of threat and danger is seen by many as an intrinsic part of the Islamic Republic's strategy. That same obfuscation has shaped Iran's decades-long nuclear narrative, toggling between a claimed religious restraint and strategic aggression, centred around one claim: a "fatwa" or a religious decree by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei banning nuclear the heart of this narrative is a claim by a top Iranian official, who went on to become its president."The idea struck me to introduce the concept of a fatwa during the 2004 nuclear negotiations. There was no prior coordination," recalled Hassan Rouhani, then Iran's then-chief nuclear negotiator, in a 2012 interview with the BBC. He was the cleric who later served two terms as Iran's president from 2013 to 2021. Later, speaking to the Iranian magazine Mehrnameh, Rouhani described how, during talks with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the UK, he said, "The Supreme Leader has issued a fatwa declaring the acquisition of a nuclear bomb forbidden. This fatwa is more important to us than the NPT or any additional protocol. It matters more than any law."advertisementThis was 2004, and Iran was under scrutiny over its nuclear programme, which it claims is for peaceful, civilian the US invading Saddam Hussein's Iraq over its alleged stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in 2003, the heat was on Iran. The Islamic Republic's two undeclared nuclear facilities were also revealed by an Iranian opposition then, the "Khamenei fatwa" has become a central diplomatic tool wielded by Iran at nuclear talks, invoked to signal moral clarity while maintaining strategic yesterday once again -- after over two foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain are likely to hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday (June 20) in Geneva, Reuters reported, quoting a German diplomatic meeting will come as the Israel-Iran conflict enters its second June 13, Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion", a coordinated strike targeting Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure across multiple cities, including Tehran, Natanz, Shiraz, Kermanshah, and Esfahan. Iran retaliated with more than 400 missiles. Some evaded Israel's Iron Dome and caused civilian has been secretive about its nuclear facility in Dimona too. Combined with Iran's threats to annihilate Israel, its nuclear programme has been seen suspiciously by the Iran has claimed its right to civilian nuclear energy, and has time and again referred to the fatwa to claim that it would never go for nuclear-grade uranium has been referred to as the fatwa are remarks by Khamenei. It's technically not a fatwa, but Iranians say since the advice was from the Supreme Leader, it should be considered so."Fatwas can change," warned Mehdi Khalaji, an Iran expert and former seminarian. "Khamenei can easily issue another one."So, is the Khamenei fatwa more of a political valve than a theological wall?IRAN'S DIPLOMACY ON N-PROGRAMME AND THE FATWAThe turning point came in 2002, when the exiled opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) publicly revealed that the country had two undeclared nuclear facilities in Natanz and disclosures were confirmed by satellite imagery and later by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections, which uncovered advanced uranium enrichment activities and heavy water production, sparking international fears that Iran's nuclear programme was not strictly tensions mounting, the regime moved to craft a moral late 2003, amid the early phase of the nuclear standoff, Khamenei declared that the production and use of nuclear weapons were haram (forbidden).advertisementIn October 2003, under growing global pressure, Khamenei gave a speech declaring weapons of mass destruction forbidden."We don't want a nuclear bomb These things don't agree with our principles."This was a calculated move to present Iran's nuclear posture as rooted in coincided with the US invasion of Iraq, which heightened Iranian fears of becoming Washington's next responded by projecting religious restraint: a deliberate attempt to frame its position not as a result of geopolitical pressure, but of Islamic in 2004, presented those remarks as Khamenei's in August 2005, Iran formally cited the fatwa at an IAEA meeting in Vienna, claiming Islamic teachings prohibited such fatwa was never an irreversible decree. Instead, it was a result of political expediency, most notably a 2010 message where Khamenei called the use of nuclear weapons haram but said nothing about building or storing EXACTLY IS THE KHAMENEI FATWA?What Iranian diplomats later hailed as a "fatwa" began as the final paragraph of a 2010 message Khamenei sent to a Tehran disarmament conference. This was not a formal religious ruling, but a political statement repurposed as theology, according to a report by an American think-tank, the Atlantic portion of that message, promoted by Iranian diplomatic missions as a binding fatwa, reads:"We believe that adding to nuclear weapons and other types of weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical weapons and biological weapons, are a serious threat to humanity. The Iranian nation, which itself is a victim of the use of chemical weapons, feels more than other nations the danger of the production and accumulation of such weapons and is ready to put all its resources in the way of dealing with it. We consider the use of these weapons to be haram (forbidden), and the effort to protect mankind from this great disaster is everyone's duty."Though framed as a definitive religious decree, this statement was part of a broader diplomatic Iranian embassies abroad repeatedly marketed it as such, turning it into a central piece of Iran's diplomatic arsenal during nuclear to the Foreign Policy magazine, Khamenei actually issued an anti-nuclear fatwa in the mid-1990s upon a request for his religious opinion on nuclear weapons. It says the Khamenei letter was never made public as then Iran President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani argued against nuclear weapons, and the fatwa's publicity was deemed unnecessary FATWA AND RATIONAL FATWA: KHAMENEIThe Supreme Leader's official website has multiple pages dedicated to his views on nuclear weapons, including a list of 85 statements he's made on the of those, the word haram appears only three times, and always in reference to the use of nuclear weapons, never their production or storage. He has, in two cases, also described the use of weapons of mass destruction as a "great sin".The only instance in which Khamenei explicitly used the word "fatwa" appears in a 2015 speech:"We don't want a nuclear weapon. Not because of what they say, but because of ourselves, because of our religion, because of our rational reasons. This is both our religious fatwa and our rational fatwa. Our rational fatwa is that we don't need nuclear weapons today, tomorrow, or ever. Nuclear weapons are a source of trouble for a country like ours."Under Sharia, actions are ranked from obligatory to has never labelled the production of nuclear weapons as haram — only the use, and even that vagueness is strategic, say some experts. It lets Iran look peaceful while keeping the door open. For hardliners, it's enough to justify moving fatwas are flexible by design. In the 1890s, a tobacco-ban fatwa sparked a revolt, then quietly disappeared once it served its observers argue that Khamenei's "fatwa" is the same — a political signal, not a religious block, meant to calm the world, not limit BELIEVED IN IRAN'S NUCLEAR FATWA?For years, Iran's nuclear fatwa drew little between 2013 and 2015, as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) talks intensified, it became central to Tehran's diplomatic messaging. Iranian officials pushed it hard, and soon US diplomats and media echoed the claim that Iran was religiously bound to avoid nuclear was no accident. As revealed in diplomat-academic Javad Zarif's memoir The Undisclosed Secret, the fatwa was a calculated tool, used to boost Iran's credibility and ease Western strategy 2014, US Secretary of State John Kerry said: "I have great respect for a fatwa. A fatwa is a very highly regarded message of religious importance. And when any fatwa is issued, I think people take it seriously, and so do we, even though it's not our practice... President Obama and I both are extremely welcoming and grateful for the fact that the supreme leader has issued a fatwa", according to Iran the next few years, Iran shifted from nuclear restraint under the JCPOA to renewed defiance after the US exited the deal in May 2018, President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the JCPOA, calling it a "disastrous deal." He argued it failed to address Iran's missile programme, had weak enforcement, and gave Tehran sanctions relief without stopping its regional aggression or long-term nuclear on, Iran gradually ramped up its nuclear activity, enriching uranium beyond the deal's limits, installing advanced centrifuges, and restricting access to international economic pressure fuelled domestic unrest, and by 2020, following events like the killing of General Qassem Soleimani and the assassination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran's posture grew more defiant, signalling a shift away from earlier CAPABILITY OF 'CORNERED CAT' IRANIranian officials have hinted for years that the religious prohibition could disappear if the state is 2021, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi warned, "The Supreme Leader has explicitly said [nuclear weapons] are religiously forbidden. But a cornered cat may behave differently." If the West pushed Iran too far, he suggested, Iran might have no choice, according to a New York Times posture hardened further in 2023. Khamenei warned that world powers "cannot stop" Iran if it chooses to build a Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, claimed all technical components were in March 2024, cleric Mohammad Fuker Meibodi argued the Quran "commands Muslims to possess weapons that instil fear in enemies", hinting that nuclear arms now fit that command, according to the report by the Atlantic Reza Aghamiri, a nuclear scientist close to Khamenei's office, declared in 2022 that Iran could enrich to 99% and build a nuclear warhead "like North Korea".Two years later, he said Iran "has the capability" to build the bomb and that "the supreme leader could tomorrow change his stance".The rhetoric intensified even more after April 2024, when Iran conducted missile and drone strikes on Israel. Within days, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) nuclear security chief Ahmad Haghtalab warned of a potential doctrinal shift if Israel targeted Iran's nuclear Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) broadcast his remarks in April 20, 2024, the reformist Hammihan daily declared that proxy warfare had run its course, and Iran now needed deterrence, possibly through nuclear ambiguity or even THERE AN ACTUAL NUCLEAR THREAT FROM IRAN?Just days later, IRGC officer and MP Javad Karimi Ghodousi claimed Iran could test a bomb within a week "if [the supreme leader] issues permission".On April 23, he went further, saying a warhead could be assembled in half a day. The Foreign Ministry scrambled to contain the fallout, with spokesperson Naser Kanani insisting nuclear weapons "have no place" in Iran's in May 2024, Kamal Kharrazi, top adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei, reinforced the an interview with Al Jazeera, he said, "We have no decision to build a nuclear bomb but should Iran's existence be threatened, there will have no choice but to change our military doctrine."Throughout late 2024 and early 2025, Iran steadily enriched uranium to 60% at Fordow and Natanz using advanced centrifuges, accumulating a stockpile sufficient for multiple warheads, according to the Arms Control it claimed peaceful intent under the NPT, officials began alluding to "special measures", a veiled reference to weaponisation or relocating May 2025, the IAEA reported Iran had amassed enough 60% enriched uranium for nine bombs and, for the first time in two decades, declared Tehran non-compliant with safeguards, according to a BBC June 12, the IAEA formally cited Iran for the breach. Tehran responded by announcing a new enrichment facility, likely fortified and concealed, though nominally under IAEA oversight.A Khamenei fatwa on nuclear weapons might exist, but what is more pertinent for discussion is the purpose why it was publicised later during negotiations, and what was achieved through the fatwa, it seems, was never a brake on Iran's nuclear ambitions, it was a mere cover. Framed as a moral prohibition, it served as a political tool to ease international pressure while Tehran expanded its nuclear capabilities in the shadows. Now, with officials openly hinting at weaponisation and enrichment levels reaching weapons-grade thresholds, the myth of religious restraint has collapsed. What remains is the reality: the fatwa was not a boundary, but a diplomatic deception. It was a lie used not to prevent a bomb, but to hide InMust Watch
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What your doctors are writing about you behind your back
Have you ever wondered what your doctor is really thinking about you when you're sitting in their office? The truth is, the world of medicine has long been home to its own secret language – shorthand acronyms and slang that doctors use to communicate about patients to other healthcare staff, often behind their backs. However, this is somewhat of a dying art, as today's medical slang now largely exists in whispered conversations or informal notes. These colloquialisms rarely make their way into a patient's official records, because they're often considered unethical and potentially offensive. Also, using them could result in legal trouble for doctors or hospitals if patients discovered them and decided to pursue legal action. Adam Fox, a collector of medical slang, once shared an example from one of his annual reports to the BBC. A practitioner had written 'TTFO', meaning 'told to f**k off', on a patient's chart. When asked about the entry in court, the practitioner had to pretend the initials stood for 'to take fluids orally'. Another reason for the decline in this sort of slang is that they may be confused with genuine medical terms, potentially leading to misunderstandings. Leading GP, Dr. Zac, tells that he remembers an incident where this happened. 'A patient ended up suing – and winning – after she overheard a clinician referring to 'the cow in the room',' he says. 'She assumed she was being insulted. But the reality was that the clinician had been venting about a COW: a 'Computer on Wheels' that was malfunctioning again (as they often do). 'The context was lost, and what followed was a legal headache no one needed, but it served as a wake-up call. Ever since then, there's been a push to remove any language that could be easily misconstrued, especially when emotions are already heightened in a hospital setting.' According to ex-TedxSydney founder, Remo Giuffre, who explored this phenomenon in his book series Remorandum, some of the codes include: ART: Ain't Right There (patient has an unusual demeanour or behaviour) BWCO: Baby Won't Come Out (needs Caesarian) CFL: Chronic Frustrated Lawyer (frustrated patient who threatens legal action frequently) CSTO/DSTO: Cat/Dog Smarter Than Owner (used by vets) CTD: Circling the Drain (a critically ill patient who is deteriorating) DBI: Dirt Bag Index (this multiplies the number of tattoos by the number of missing teeth to give an estimate of the number of days since the patient last bathed) DUB: Damn Ugly Baby EGO: Excessive Gas Output (patients with frequent flatulence complaints) FF: Frequent Flyer (patient who frequently visits the ER for non-emergency issues) FLK w/ GLM: Funny-Looking Kid with a Good Looking Mum FUBAR: F**ked Up Beyond All Recognition (extremely complex or difficult situation) FURB: Funny, Unusual, Rectal Blockage (people who use unusual objects in their anus) GOK: God Only Knows (patient with symptoms that are baffling or defy a clear diagnosis) GOMER: Get Out of My Emergency Room GPO: Good for Parts Only (patients whose injuries may mean they are unlikely to survive) GRAFOB: Grim Reaper At Foot Of Bed LOBNH: Lights On But Nobody Home (patients who are alert but mentally absent) LOFA: Lack of F**king Ability (patients who struggle with simple tasks or who seem helpless) LOLINAD: Little Old Lady In No Apparent Distress NQR: Not Quite Right (patient who doesn't have a clear diagnosis but isn't healthy either) PITA: Pain In The A** TEETH: Tried Everything Else, Try Homeopathy (chronic cases that resist standard treatment) TMB: Too Many Birthdays (elderly patients, often with multiple chronic issues due to age) TOBP: Tired of Being Pregnant (especially patient demanding Caesarian) TSTL: Too Stupid To Live (patients engaging in extremely risky or unhealthy behaviour) UBI: Unexplained Beer Injury (injuries of unknown origin associated with alcohol consumption) VIP Syndrome: A high-status patient who expects special treatment that disrupts standard care WADA: Weak And Dizzy All-over (patients with vague, non-specific symptoms) Dr Zac says that while most of these terms are on the way out, some acronyms still hold a strong clinical place and are routinely used in day-to-day care. These are the ones that serve a real purpose in communication and patient safety, not 'cheap laughs', he says. Here are a few that remain in standard use: FAST – Face, Arms, Speech, Time (stroke recognition tool) ABCDE – Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (standard trauma and emergency assessment structure) SOAP – Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan (common structure for medical notes) PEARL – Pupils Equal And Reactive to Light (used in neurological exams) AVPU – Alert, Voice, Pain, Unresponsive (used to measure level of consciousness) 'So while the cheeky acronyms of old might still make the rounds on Reddit or late-night handover jokes, in practice, they've mostly been replaced with clearer, standardised terminology,' Dr Zac says. 'And maybe that's a good thing.'
