BEIRUT – Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Saturday rejected the US-brokered framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel, declaring it “null and void” and calling for the implementation of the Iranian-US memorandum of understanding instead.

In his first public remarks since the agreement was signed in Washington following the fifth round of negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv on Friday, Qassem said Israel must withdraw from Lebanese territory in accordance with the Iranian-American understanding.

“This agreement is null and void, and the provisions of the Iranian-American memorandum of understanding must be implemented,” he said in a statement.

Qassem also rejected any proposal linking an Israeli military withdrawal to the disarmament of Hezbollah and other resistance groups across Lebanon, describing it as “a very dangerous proposal” that crossed “all red lines”.

He warned that such a move would leave Lebanon vulnerable and turn the country “into a plaything in the hands of the Israeli enemy”.

His remarks come amid growing debate in Lebanon over the agreement. While some politicians and media outlets have welcomed the deal as a potentially significant step towards stability, others have criticised it as a unilateral concession to Israel.

Lebanon and Israel signed the US-sponsored framework agreement in Washington on Friday after five rounds of negotiations aimed at resolving longstanding disputes between the two sides.

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed more than 4,000 people and wounded over 4,000 others in Lebanon.

LONDON –  Britain’s King Charles has become the first reigning monarch to publicly disclose details of his personal tax contributions, with Buckingham Palace releasing the information amid renewed scrutiny of royal finances and property arrangements.

According to palace officials, the king has paid more than $41 million in personal taxes since ascending the throne in 2022.

The disclosure came as the Royal Household responded to public discussion surrounding the monarchy’s finances and the management of royal properties.

Palace officials also confirmed that King Charles and Queen Camilla would not move into Buckingham Palace after the completion of its taxpayer-funded renovation project. Instead, the couple will continue to reside at Clarence House.

Buckingham Palace will remain the monarchy’s principal administrative headquarters and venue for official engagements, including state ceremonies, receptions and meetings, officials said.

Separately, Prince William released details of financial plans for the Duchy of Cornwall, outlining a long-term strategy focused on housing developments, environmental initiatives and community investment across several regions.

The Prince of Wales also said that income generated from Dartmoor Prison, which provides annual rental revenue to the duchy, would be directed towards supporting local communities.

ISLAMABAD – Elon Musk has fallen below the $1 trillion net worth mark just weeks after briefly becoming the first person to reach the milestone, following a sharp decline in the valuation of his business interests.

A significant drop in the value of SpaceX shares erased an estimated $240 billion from Musk’s paper wealth, reducing his net worth to around $950bn by late June, according to market estimates.

Despite the decline, Musk remains the world’s wealthiest individual by a substantial margin, with his fortune still far exceeding that of other billionaires.

The reversal highlights the volatility of wealth tied largely to corporate valuations. Most of Musk’s fortune is linked to ownership stakes in his companies, meaning fluctuations in share prices can have a dramatic effect on his net worth.

Musk crossed the trillion-dollar threshold earlier this month following a surge in the valuation of SpaceX after its highly anticipated public listing. The development marked a historic milestone and further widened the gap between him and the rest of the global rich list.

However, a subsequent decline in SpaceX’s market value, coupled with weaker performance in Tesla shares, pushed his estimated wealth back below the trillion-dollar mark within weeks.

Analysts say investor confidence in SpaceX remains strong despite the recent pullback, citing the company’s long-term ambitions in space exploration, satellite communications, artificial intelligence and future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Over the past two years, Musk’s fortune has grown rapidly alongside gains in the value of his technology ventures. Market estimates suggest his wealth stood at just over $400bn in early 2025 before climbing sharply on the back of rising valuations across his businesses.

The largest portion of Musk’s fortune is derived from his stake in SpaceX and its associated ventures, including Starlink, xAI and X. He also holds a significant ownership stake in Tesla, while maintaining interests in Neuralink and The Boring Company.

Because much of his wealth exists in the form of company equity rather than liquid assets, even modest shifts in market sentiment can translate into gains or losses worth tens of billions of dollars.

The latest decline serves as a reminder of how quickly paper fortunes can fluctuate, particularly when they are concentrated in a small number of high-growth technology companies.