Apples, oranges and grapes are healthy fruits. But when they are turned into juice they pack as much, or more, sugar than some sodas or energy drinks. 

Under South Africa’s proposed food labelling regulations 100% fruit juices won’t be required to show a high sugar warning on their packaging because their sugars are “naturally occurring”. But because of their sugar content, nutritional experts say, when people consume too much of them, there isn’t really a healthier option between soda, flavoured water and energy drinks. 

“Coke has too much sugar, but fruit juices also have too much natural sugar,” says Edzani Mphaphuli, executive director of Grow Great, a nonprofit which works to shape childhood nutrition policies.

Sugar is helping drive South Africa’s obesity rise. Over one in 10 children under five are already overweight and researchers have found that drinking just one sugar-sweetened beverage a day raises the chances of a child being overweight by more than half.

That’s part of what our proposed food labelling regulations are meant to combat. 

Under the current draft — which the health department is still reviewing, according to spokesperson Foster Mohale — fruit juices will fall through a definition loophole. But that’s not what researchers who gave input on the rules recommended or what many public health experts advise.

“Our evaluation used the criteria of ‘free sugars’, where all 100% fruit juices would have carried a warning label,” says Tamryn Frank, a researcher at the University of the Western Cape who was part of the technical team. “That highlights the importance of reconsidering the best term to include when the final regulation is published.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says “free sugars” are sugars added to products like sodas and energy drinks, as well as those naturally found in fruits. But our current draft proposal says only products with “added sugar” will be required to carry a label. 

The draft regulations say any drink with more than 5g of sugar (just over one teaspoon) per 100ml, or any amount of artificial sweetener (such as the calorie-free chemicals aspartame or sucralose) must show a black-and-white triangle with the word “warning” in bold capital letters. 

If passed in their current form, researchers say almost six in 10 of all sodas, energy drinks and juices sold at supermarkets in the country would carry a warning label. But while 94% of soft drinks and 97% of energy drinks would need warning labels for high sugar or artificial sweeteners, just 30% of juices would be labelled. 

Pure 100% fruit juices won’t carry a warning label because their sugar is natural. But not all juices are completely natural — some contain added sugar or sweeteners — so those with more than just over a teaspoon of sugar per 100ml will still need to carry a “high in sugar” warning.

We did the sums to work out which drinks have the most sugar and which will — or won’t — need a warning label, according to the current version of the regulations.

Fruit juices

While they didn’t have any artificial sweeteners, all the juices we compared — Fruugo sparkling apple juice, Ceres orange and Rhodes grape juice — had more sugar than all of the other drinks we compared, except for Coke. 

“Because they come straight from nature, people think they must be healthy. But it’s not exactly the same thing as eating a single fruit,” explains Mphaphuli. “Juice is highly concentrated and you need to dilute it with water if you’re going to give it to a child [to reduce the sugar content].”

Whole fruits are filled with fibre, which slows digestion and helps control blood sugar. But that fibre is shed when fruit is turned into juice. Without it, sugar reaches the bloodstream faster, which can cause spikes and drops in energy. 

Research has shown that swapping a fruit juice for some types of whole fruit three times a week can lower a person’s chances of getting type 2 diabetes — probably because juice raises blood sugar faster and has less fibre.

A study published in the South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition earlier this year found that almost three-quarters of fruit juices have more sugar than the proposed limit. But, as regulations stand now, only 17% would require a warning label because most of the sugar is natural, not added (because the regulations only look at the total amount of sugar in products with added sugar and not those with natural sugars). 

Sodas

Among the three sodas, Coke has the most sugar — and is the only one that contains caffeine, a stimulant, which means it speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and the body, and can therefore make you sleep less well. Too much caffeine can lead to anxiety, restlessness and affect the way your heart beats. 

The WHO says an adult should not consume more than six to 12 teaspoons of sugar per day. A can of original taste 440ml of Coke contains 2.65 teaspoons of sugar per 100ml, which means an entire can contains about 11.5 teaspoons of sugar — more than the maximum WHO daily limit. 

Sodas are some of the sweetest drinks you can buy and, research shows, South Africans love them: we drink an average of 254 Coca-Cola products per person per year, almost triple the global average of 89.

Before South Africa’s tax on sugar beverages was introduced in 2018, which requires manufacturers to pay 2.1 cents tax for every gram of sugar that exceeds 4g of sugar per 100ml, the average 330ml can of soda had about 10 teaspoons of sugar. But, to avoid the tax, some producers changed the ingredients in their drinks. For example, says Frank, Sprite and Fanta drinks lowered the sugar content but added non-nutritive sweeteners to keep the sweetness.

While chemical sweeteners, which are often used in “diet” drinks, can help people with short-term weight loss, the WHO says they should “not be used as a means of achieving weight control or reducing the risk of noncommunicable diseases” like obesity in the long run. Meanwhile, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has listed aspartame, a sweetener found in diet drinks such as Fanta Zero, as a possible cause of cancer, though more research is needed. 

The new regulations will require sugary drinks containing artificial sweeteners to carry the following warning on the front of the container: “This product contains artificial sweeteners. Excessive consumption may be detrimental to your health.” Manufacturers will also not be allowed to market such products to children.   

“None of these products are recommended as part of a healthy diet because they don’t contain any nutrients other than sugar and energy,” says Makoma Bopape, a nutrition researcher and lecturer at the University of Limpopo. Bopape was part of the technical group who worked on the labels. “What makes it worse is the fact that some contain sweeteners.”

Energy drinks

Monster has nearly four times more sugar than both Dragon and Power Play and all contain artificial sweeteners. 

A 500ml can of Monster has around 13 teaspoons of sugar — more than the maximum sugar intake the WHO recommends for adults per day.

Energy drinks aren’t just packed with sugar, like many sodas, they also contain caffeine. Experts say teens who weigh between 40kg and 70kg shouldn’t consume more than 100mg — 175mg of caffeine a day. At an average of about 150mg, all three energy drinks contain almost the maximum amount of caffeine per can per day that experts recommend. 

Under the proposed regulations, these three drinks would all need a warning label — either for high sugar or containing artificial sweeteners.

Flavoured water

Of the three flavoured waters we looked at, Bonaqua Pump Lemon is the only one that does not contain any artificial sweeteners.

Even though they’re often marketed as “healthier” options, the flavoured waters we looked at had similar amounts of sugar and sweeteners as sodas. One option had both sugar and three sweeteners — making it more soda than water.

aQuelle naartjie and Thirsti berry use artificial sweeteners to keep the sugar low, but they respectively also contain nearly two and four full teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle. 

Bopape says plain water — not flavoured water — should be the preferred drink of choice.

This story was produced by the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. Sign up for the newsletter.

The International Day of Yoga was born from an address by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UN General Assembly in 2014.

Within three months, on 11 December that year, 193 member states and 173 co-sponsor countries voted unanimously to enshrine 21 June as a global day to honour the ancient Indian discipline of yoga.

Eleven years on, the vibrant city of Durban — framed by its Indian Ocean shoreline and legacy of civilisational convergence — hosted South Africa’s official yoga day celebration on Saturday, 21 June 2025.

A record turnout of more than 4 000 participants — 1 000  more than the 10^th edition in 2024 — painted a sea of serenity of men, women and children of culturally-diverse yogis and keep-fit enthusiasts, prompting the keynote speaker and chief guest, KZN’s Premier Thami Ntuli to declare: “These huge crowds of participants augurs well for the future of yoga as India’s gift to us. Yoga has become the new spirit of ubuntu for all our communities.”

The Durban Amphitheatre, typically a weekend haunt for joggers and walkers, was transformed into a vibrant tapestry of yogis and enthusiasts paying homage to an art that had journeyed from Himalayan caves to nearly every corner of the globe.

Yoga’s roots stretch back over 5 000 years, derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, meaning “to unite”. It was a practice designed to synchronise body, mind and spirit — a concept that had begun to resonate globally across geographies, generations and social strata.

This global renaissance owed much to a constellation of modern Hindu spiritual leaders — not the ancient sages, but contemporary visionaries who globalised the discipline. Swami Vivekananda first introduced Raja Yoga to the West at the 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in the US. Later, Sri T Krishnamacharya, hailed as the “Father of Modern Yoga”, choreographed yoga’s evolution into the accessible, postural discipline practised today.

In South Africa, Swami Sivananda’s Divine Life Society, founded in Durban, played a unique role — not only in propagating Hatha Yoga but in uplifting black communities during apartheid’s darkest decades. Carrying this legacy forward was Prince Ishwar Ramlutchman Mabheka Zulu — philanthropist, cultural activist and adopted son of the late Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuZulu. Through his Sivananda World Peace Foundation, Ramlutchman championed yoga as a tool for peace-building, wellness and social cohesion.

As a protege of Swami Sahajananda, Ramlutchman emerged as a key figure in yoga’s African journey. Under his leadership, the yoga day celebration grew from a modest gathering to a 4 000-strong annual spectacle, making it one of Durban’s most anticipated cultural highlights. This year’s celebration unfolded just weeks after the city successfully hosted the Africa Travel Indaba, a four-day trade and tourism showcase that attracted over 9 000 delegates and injected more than R500 million into Durban’s economy.

Durban Tourism’s Winile Mntungwa noted that the indaba had generated R226 million in direct economic impacts. Phindile Makwakwa, COO of Tourism KwaZulu-Natal, credited the province’s rich cultural mosaic for positioning it as a premier destination. Lindiwe Rakharebe, CEO of the Durban ICC, added that hotel occupancies had exceeded 80%, signalling a “promising rebound”.

Amid this climate of renewal and optimism, Ramlutchman affirmed that yoga’s stronghold in Durban was no accident. “This city, with its cross-cultural DNA and demographic diversity, is the ideal ambassador for yoga’s universal message of unity in diversity,” he remarked in an address to attendees.

Among the dignitaries present were city councillor Bheki Mngwengwe, who echoed eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba’s gratitude for the choice of the city for the annual showpiece and a constellation of political, cultural and diplomatic leaders — affirming that yoga had transcended its sacred roots to become a unifying civic tradition.

Premier Ntuli, delivering the keynote address for the second consecutive year, described yoga as a “transformative force that fosters inner peace and social harmony”. He commended Ramlutchman and the foundation for extending yoga’s reach into rural and historically underserved communities.

KZN legislative speaker Ntobeko Boyce echoed this sentiment, saying: “Yoga reminds us that healing begins within. The International Day of Yoga has become a cornerstone of our provincial calendar.”

Messages of support poured in from across the leadership spectrum. In a heartfelt note, Zulu monarch King Misuzulu kaZwelithini acknowledged the foundation’s enduring contribution to the well-being of his people. “Yoga will bring change to the lives of my people by fostering awareness, focus and wellness,” he wrote.

South Africa’s Ministry of Health also weighed in, endorsing yoga as an invaluable tool for public health. “Yoga aligns with our mission to improve public health, reduce stress and encourage healthy living,” the ministry noted in a statement. “It addresses both modern illnesses and emotional burdens.”

Veteran MP Poobalan Les Govender, IFP deputy chair of the National Council of Provinces, described yoga as “a discipline for self-discovery, growth and resilience”, with the power to build inclusive communities grounded in emotional well-being.

Professor Anil Sooklal, South Africa’s newly appointed High Commissioner to India, Bangladesh and Nepal, praised Durban’s role in advancing cultural diplomacy. “This celebration is a milestone in South Africa-India cultural and people-to-people cooperation,” he said from New Delhi.

Indeed, yoga’s South African story is one of revival, resilience and reinvention — from the spiritual foothills of Rishikesh to the coastal breezes of eThekwini. As Durban hosted thousands beneath its crisp winter sun, the 2025 International Day of Yoga stood once again as a living reminder that in unity, there is healing, and in stillness, there is strength.

Yoga – India’s timeless gift to the world — continues to inspire health, harmony and higher consciousness in a fast-paced post-modern era.

“This year also marks the global unveiling of the Sivananda International initiative — a call to humanity to embrace yoga not as a trend, but as a timeless truth. Yoga is not merely a physical workout; it is a sacred way of life. In a world often consumed by noise and chaos, yoga grants us the rarest of gifts: inner stillness, clarity and peace,” said Ramlutchman.

“With nearly 200 million practitioners worldwide — from every nation, every race and every faith — yoga has become a universal language of well-being. Over 20 million people in the United States alone have embraced this tradition, yet its soul resides in its birthplace, India — and it belongs to the world.

“As South Africans, as global citizens, let us walk together on this noble path. Let us build communities rooted in peace, humility, health and spiritual devotion. Let us foster a world where creed and colour no longer divide us, but unite us in shared breath and common purpose. 

“Let this International Day of Yoga be a beacon — a glorious opening for humanity to rediscover the power of oneness. When the world moves as one, there is no conflict, no injustice and no disparity — only unity in diversity,” Ramlutchman said.

“It was a beautiful scene of a sea of people,” he reminisced, adding: “Children, youth and elders practiced side by side. Healthcare workers, township-based wellness advocates, diplomats and yoga teachers moved to the same breath — and symbolised unity in diversity, echoing the values of our Constitution and our rainbow nation.”

Marlan Padayachee is a seasoned former political, foreign and diplomatic correspondent in the transition from apartheid to democracy and is a freelance journalist, photographer and researcher.  

At a time when avian flu and foot-and-mouth disease have been in the headlines, it is reasonable for people to closely watch consumer food price inflation to gauge the effect of these issues. 

On 18 June, we got the inflation data for May 2025. South Africa’s consumer food price inflation has continued to accelerate but this should not be a concern because the recent upticks are in line with expectations and could be short-lived. 

The data released on Monday by Statistics South Africa shows that consumer food price inflation accelerated to 4.4% in May from 3.3% in April 2025. 

The acceleration in price inflation of meat; fish and other seafood; oils and fats; fruit and nuts and vegetables mainly underpinned the uptick. 

Meanwhile, other products remained roughly unchanged, while some experienced slowing price inflation. 

Regarding meat, the key issues that have dominated the headlines are the outbreak of avian flu in Brazil and its potential effect on domestic poultry supplies and prices. The second concern relates to beef supplies after the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. 

Still, we believe the effects of these two events have not yet been fully factored into the current price trends. The price increases we observe are essentially a continuation of the past few months, mainly because of base effects, the rising domestic demand and the suppliers’ window to pass on some costs they have experienced stemming from higher feed prices over the past couple of months before the recent cooling of maize and soybean prices. 

In the case of beef, it is essential to note that, unlike what is generally stated in the commentary, when an outbreak occurs, red meat exports are temporarily banned, which increases local supplies. 

In the past, such led to a mild decline in red meat prices. This is why we have doubts about the talk of potential sharp increases in the coming months due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. 

Regarding poultry, South Africa has temporarily restricted imports from Brazil, one of its largest suppliers of poultry products, due to the disease outbreak. 

But this ban is for the short term, and the authorities have indicated that South Africa will restrict imports only from the affected areas, not the entire country of Brazil. This means any poultry supply issue, if it arises, will be temporary.

Based on these two factors, we are inclined to believe that the recent uptick in meat inflation could prove to be short-lived.

Regarding fruit and vegetables, we observe a recovery in the supply of various products in the fresh produce markets and suspect that prices could moderate in the coming months. The recent increases reflect the disruptions in supplies that have occurred in recent months, some of which are related to weather. 

Similarly, oil and fat prices might soften in the coming months, as we are starting to see this trend internationally, and we are an importer of a range of vegetable oils. For example, the FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index averaged 152.2 points in May, 4% lower than in April. Lower prices of palm, rapeseed, soy and sunflower oils drove this. 

On a positive note, we see a moderation in grain-related product prices, which reflects the better harvest in the 2024-25 season domestically, as well as the better rice, wheat and maize harvest globally. We expect this moderation to continue in the coming months.

Overall, we generally expect food price inflation to remain at comfortable levels this year and the uptick in meat price inflation is likely to be temporary. More importantly, softening grain prices will contribute notably to the probable moderating path. 

Wandile Sihlobo is the chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa.

The world is on the brink of war again. War crimes and massacres, genocides are coming to characterise our modern world. Humanity is in the deepest crisis it has ever seen.

German critic Walter Benjamin, who died in 1940, once said: “There is no document of civilisation which is not at the same time a document of barbarism.” These words predicted the scale of atrocity during the Nazi invasion of Europe. 

Benjamin believed that barbarism was being transmitted from one hand to another. Almost a century before him, American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson raised a very similar concern about the trajectory of civilisation, remarking, “The course of civilisation is an endless train of felonies” and it seems this train is still on the move. 

The 20th century was full of genocides and crimes against humanity. Colonial atrocities, genocides and mass massacres, along with two world wars, seemed to establish a legacy of crime for the 21st century.

Steve Crawshaw’s recent book, Prosecuting the Powerful: War Crimes and the Battle for Justice, is an urgent call for justice. As an award-winning journalist and historian, his book is a document of crises in the struggle against war crimes. 

Reports, court documents and registers are seamlessly woven into his acute sense of justice and hope. This results from his experiences and what he witnessed over two decades on the front lines of justice through his work at Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Freedom from Torture.

His commitment to justice is clearly seen in his covering “stories of human rights abuses in the hope of making change”. These observations from the field add to his judgments throughout the book.  

The book provides us with a broad perspective on the battle against injustice, registering the failures and successes over a century. 

For Crawshaw, impunity for war crimes is no longer a given. Now, he says, “the slogan ‘Send him to The Hague!’ is heard worldwide from those who believe powerful leaders should be held accountable”. 

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) indictments of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorse this hope of bringing the powerful to justice. 

The struggle for justice is not always fulfilled. As he notes, “We have seen genocide convictions in international and domestic courts for everything from Rwanda and Bosnia to the rape and killings of thousands of Yazidis in Iraq and Syria by Islamic State.”

World history abounds with silences about war crimes. It took former European colonial powers Germany, Britain and France the best part of a century to admit their crimes against humanity in Africa. 

There are many killings still shrouded in silence in the Middle East, which are seldom discussed in these terms. However, governments and state leaders always react to genocide or massacre convictions. 

Most of the discussions around justice, law and crime in the book are based on Polish lawyer and staunch advocate of human rights Raphael Lemkin’s arguments. His ideas seem to shape the writer’s understanding of justice

Lemkin was the one who defined the term “genocide” as “a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves”.

For instance, he says, “Lemkin would describe Moscow’s treatment of Ukraine as ‘perhaps the classic example of Soviet genocide … the destruction of the Ukrainian nation’”.

In the fight against war crimes, the Nuremberg trials are cited as a driving force to bring justice to criminals. Crawshaw maintains: “Nuremberg helped create a new language around human rights and would become a shorthand for those seeking accountability in conflict zones around the world.” 

Lemkin, who was an advisor to the Nuremberg court, is quoted as saying, ‘The Allies decided their case against a past Hitler but refused to envisage future Hitlers. They did not want to, or could not, establish a rule of international law that would prevent and punish future crimes of the same type”

Nuremberg was seen as “the re-establishment of law in Nuremberg and the rebirth of humanity to which we all belong”.

Later, the establishment of the Yugoslavian and Rwandan tribunals was significant. These two war crimes courts which “prosecuted genocide meant the practical significance of Lemkin’s legacy could be seen for the first time”.

Prosecuting war crimes should become more common for peace and the future of humanity. The establishment of the ICC is considered as the continuation and universalising of the Nuremberg Trials. 

Some African governments’ acknowledgments of the ICC are cited in the book as exemplary: “There were productive collaborations between African governments and The Hague. The court’s first investigation came in response to a request from the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the context of the conflict in eastern Congo in which millions had died.”

Another outstanding move mentioned in the book is the Senegalese government and the African Union jointly creating the Extraordinary African Chambers in the Courts of Senegal, which prosecuted crimes committed in Chad under Hissène Habré’s rule. 

South Africa’s bid to bring justice to Gaza is also cited as a remarkable move. 

What Prosecuting the Powerful shows is that all challenges against warlords and crimes against humanity come from individual moves, citing exemplary figures such as ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan. 

Despite all obstacles, justice will prevail!

Prosecuting the powerful: War Crimes and the Battle for Justice, is published by The Bridge Street Press.

The Gauteng education department is in the process of securing private sector funding to build 200 schools after receiving R2.5 billion from the national treasury for the 2025-26 financial year to build 18 schools, MEC Matome Chiloane has said.

“I would say [we need] about 200 schools — it would make a big difference. We are coming up with different strategies. Amongst those which I do believe will work quicker is the public-private partnership,” Chiloane told journalists at the weekend. 

The provincial department said it faced an immediate shortage of 132 schools in townships — 75 primary schools and 57 secondary schools. Eighty-eight schools are required in areas with high-density, middle-income housing developments.

The Gauteng department of infrastructure development says it plans to build 20 new schools by 2029, averaging about four schools per year. Gauteng, the country’s most populous province, currently has 5 790 public schools. 

Statistics from the national education department indicate that, over the past decade, learner numbers surged from nearly 1.95 million in 2014 to over 2.28 million in 2023, reflecting an increase of around 725 000 learners. 

Infrastructure growth has, however, not kept up with learner enrollments. Between 2014 and 2023, only 28 new schools were built, averaging one school for every 12 035 additional learners. 

During the 2023-24 financial year, KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of schools either built or renovated, with three projects completed, followed by Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape, which each built one school.

Chilaone said the increase in learners is exacerbated by people relocating to Gauteng and that private-public partnerships are therefore required to address overcrowding. 

“The private sector comes on board to work with us to build schools, and then they hand over to us so that we can utilise them, and then we come into some form of agreement. So, that is in the process; we are just tightening the process,” he said. 

Chiloane’s comments echo those of Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, who has been actively championing a shift toward stronger private sector engagement to support and uplift the South African schooling system. Since her appointment in mid 2024, Gwarube has underscored that fundamentally shifting the education landscape cannot be achieved by government funding alone. 

During a basic education lekgotla earlier this year, Gwarube again stressed that private sector partners are not merely financial supporters but “thinking partners” who can contribute data, insight and innovative solutions to enhance foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes. 

“The basic education sector is reeling from budget constraints. In this climate, corporate partnerships are critical in serving our 13.5 million learners across the country, regardless of where they come from. However, in partnering with corporations, we must implement measures to manage branding in schools. Partnerships are key and so is protecting our learners,” she said.

Earlier this year, the basic education department welcomed a McDonald’s-led initiative that introduced solar-powered “Mi Desks” for disadvantaged schools where sitting on the floor is a reality for learners. But civil society groups criticised the donation, saying the minister’s decision to allow fast-food branding into schools was “grossly irresponsible and negligent”. 

In May, Gwarube estimated that R32 billion was needed to provide additional classrooms at more than 8 200 overcrowded schools, while R14 billion would be required to construct over 13 000 toilets to meet minimum norms and standards.
The minister has said that 90% of the country’s 22 381 public schools are in fair to very good condition, while the remaining 2 240 schools are still classified as being in poor or very poor condition. The basic education department cited delays in construction and poor contractor performance, municipal red tape, recurring natural disasters and chronic underfunding as reasons for the bad condition of schools.

Vice President JD Vance said the United States achieved its objective in destroying Iran’s nuclear program, moments after President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire.” 

Vance told “Special Report” Monday that he had left the White House before Trump broke the news of a ceasefire but had been aware of its developments prior to coming on air.

“First of all, the president, without, knock on wood, having a single American casualty, obliterated the Iranian nuclear program. We are now in a place where we weren’t a week ago. A week ago, Iran was very close to having a nuclear weapon. Now Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have because we destroyed it,” he said.

PENTAGON FLEXES US MILITARY’S DECOYS AND STRATEGIC DECEPTION THAT TOOK IRAN AND WORLD BY SURPRISE

The United States struck Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites Saturday evening as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, dropping 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators against two target areas, Fordow and Natanz. 

More than two dozen Tomahawk missiles were launched at Isfahan from a U.S. submarine.

“Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,” said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.

Caine told reporters that the mission involved more than 125 U.S. aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers, dozens of air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine and more.

Vance told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier that the United States will work to make sure Iran doesn’t try to rebuild its nuclear capability in the future after the strikes. 

“Look, this is a great thing. For Israel, think about this: they’ve accomplished an important military objective. They’ve helped us destroy the Iranian nuclear program. They’ve also destroyed the conventional missile capability of Iran that threatened the country of Israel. For the Iranians, I think this is a new opportunity to actually pursue the path of peace. As I said yesterday, what the Iranians have showed through their support of terror networks, through their now failed effort to build a nuclear weapon, is that they’re just not very good at war,” he said. 

“And I think the president really hit the reset button and said, look, let’s actually produce long-term peace for the region. That’s always been his goal. I actually think when we look back, we will say the 12-day war was an important reset moment for the entire region.”

Trump elaborated on the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran, writing that it would go into effect in about six hours, when the two nations “have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!”

STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUES WORLDWIDE CAUTION FOR US TRAVELERS FOLLOWING TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKES

The ceasefire news comes just hours after Iran fired at least 14 missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in retaliation for the U.S. strikes.

The deal is expected to be phased in during the next 24 hours, according to Trump.

“I think what the Iranians have shown very clearly is they don’t want this war to go on for much longer. Their air defenses have been totally destroyed. Their conventional missile program has been largely destroyed. And of course, their nuclear program has been obliterated, as I said before,” Vance explained. “So I think the Iranians entered a place where they don’t want to keep on fighting.”

Auburn Tigers men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl called for President Donald Trump to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as Israel and Iran apparently agreed to a ceasefire.

Trump, after the U.S. launched military strikes on Iran’s three major nuclear facilities with the Islamic Republic responding by firing missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar, announced on Truth Social that Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

“CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!” he wrote.

“Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World,” Trump added.

Trump praised both countries for their “Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence” to end what he called “THE 12 DAY WAR.”

“This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!” he said.

Pearl, the chairman of the U.S. Israel Education Association, was among those who praised Trump for his military maneuvers in recent days.

TRUMP HAILS ‘MONUMENTAL’ DAMAGE AS EXPERTS AWAIT VERDICT ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM

“This is what a peace maker and the leader of the free world does, he steps in when both sides can’t agree and he gives them an offer they can’t refuse,” the college basketball coach wrote on X. “He should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I pray that all sides can offer some grace and keep the peace.”

Pearl has supported Trump’s efforts in striking Iran, saying the president wanted the world to be a “safer place.”

Last week, he expressed support for the president as he weighed potential strikes on Iran.

“We can go back and talk about 1982 in Lebanon and all those U.S. Marines that were murdered,” he said on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich.” “We can talk about Oct. 7, where 45 Americans were killed. And they abducted, you know, six or seven more and executed them before Israel rescued them. 

“This has been going on since 1979, and it is about to become a safer place, a non-nuclear Iran. And without having the money to be able to do what they have been doing, the world is going to be a safer place.”

“If the Middle East gets safer and stronger, look at what a dynamic country Israel is. Look at all the unicorns that are there. Look at all the high tech and development. Look at all the wealth. If you began to spread that to some of these other Middle Eastern countries, who are they going to partner with? The United States? Russia? China? It’s going to be the U.S., because Donald Trump has led the way to create peace and prosperity for everybody in the region.”

Fox News’ Louis Casiano and Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi was questioned Monday during a House budget hearing about Iranian nationals who entered the country illegally during the Biden administration after the Trump administration warned the conflict with Iran raised threat levels in the United States.

Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, asked if the attorney general knew how many Iranian nationals in the United States have been convicted of crimes. Bondi said she was unsure, but that more than 1,000 entered the country during the last administration.

“And I can tell you, we are on high alert, and everyone is looking at that very closely,” Bondi said.

TRUMP CALLS IRAN RESPONSE TO STRIKE ON NUCLEAR FACILITIES ‘WEAK,’ SUGGESTS RETURN TO DIPLOMACY

U.S. Border Patrol arrested 1,504 Iranians at the southern border during President Joe Biden’s term, and nearly half of them, or 729, were released into the United States, according to a senior Customs and Border Protection source.

Bondi’s remarks echo those of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which issued a notice one day prior saying that the Iran conflict “is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States.” The DHS cited the possibility of extremists in the United States “independently mobilizing to violence” if Iranian leaders were to call for it. The department also said cyberattacks and incidents of antisemitism could increase.

Gonzales asked Bondi about the threat of Iranian “sleeper cells,” to which the attorney general said she could “not talk about that in this setting.”

The line of questioning during a hearing about the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year came amid a rapidly evolving conflict in the Middle East that Trump chose to intervene in over the weekend.

OVER 700 IRANIAN NATIONALS RELEASED INTO THE US DEPSITE TERRORISM CONCERNS

The Trump administration carried out airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, leading to Iran launching a missile attack on a U.S. military base near Doha, Qatar, on Monday. Trump said the Iranians gave “early notice” of the offensive and that no casualties occurred as a result of the attack.

Later Monday, Trump announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran would take effect in a matter of hours, though ceasefire deals have fallen through in the past, and it remains unclear if the agreement will hold.

The DOJ brought an indictment against three men last year in connection to a murder-for-hire scheme that allegedly originated in Iran that involved assassinating Trump before the 2024 election, as well as killing a journalist. One of the men remains at large. He is an Afghan national but was allegedly being paid by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an Iran-based militant group.

“The charges announced today expose Iran’s continued brazen attempts to target U.S. citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump, other government leaders and dissidents who criticize the regime in Tehran,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said at the time of the indictment.

Bill Melugin contributed to this report.

Dozens of children were rescued in a blow to child sex trafficking operations in Florida, officials announced Monday.

Dubbed Operation Dragon Eye, the initiative was spearheaded by the U.S. Marshals Office for the Central District of Florida and supported by the state Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution (OSP).

The effort involved 20 agencies working in tandem to locate 60 critically missing children and apprehend suspects tied to trafficking, drugs and child endangerment.

“The real heroes behind this operation are the law enforcement who built and executed this mission,” Uthmeier said in a release. “As your Attorney General and a father of three young kids, protecting children is my top priority. If you victimize children, you’re going to prison, end of story.”

SHERIFF REVEALS 26 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS NOT ON FEDERAL ‘RADAR’ AMONG 255 ARRESTED IN FLORIDA SEX-TRAFFICKING STING

Authorities said the recovered children ranged in age from 9 to 17, and many of them were missing and at risk of being exploited. The U.S. Marshals Service defines “critically missing” children as “those at risk of crimes of violence or those with other elevated risk factors such as substance abuse, sexual exploitation, crime exposure or domestic violence.”

The operation uncovered the gut-wrenching realities of sex trafficking — including several young girls who were pregnant, one of them carrying the child of her trafficker.

Officials stressed that the operation didn’t end with their rescue, but each child received immediate medical evaluations and psychological support, with long-term care protocols set in motion.

“The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care,” said U.S. Marshal William Berger. “This operation further included follow-up assistance in hopes that these youths will not return back to the streets to be further victimized.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) also played a central role in the operation. Commissioner Mark Glass assured the parents of missing children that the department will “never stop searching.”

“Sixty kids saved. That number sends the message that Florida will never be a safe place for traffickers,” Glass said. “At FDLE, we will continue to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. And to any family still missing their child, we will never stop searching until we make sure they are brought home safely.”

205 ARRESTED IN FBI CHILD SEX OPERATION, PATEL AND BONDI ANNOUNCE

Eight individuals were arrested during the operation, the agency said. They face a variety of charges, including human trafficking, child endangerment, drug possession and drug trafficking. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may follow.

The Office of Statewide Prosecution is handling the criminal cases, with support from state attorneys in the Sixth and Thirteenth Judicial Circuits. Special Counsel Rita Peters has been appointed to lead the prosecution in the human trafficking case, while two additional trafficking cases remain under investigation.

Sex trafficking continues to pose a persistent threat in Florida, with the state among the top three in the nation for reported human trafficking cases, alongside California and Texas, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

In 2024 alone, according to the agency, Florida received over 1,830 signals, which led to the identification of 1,874 victims. The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) found that many victims are minors between the ages of 11 and 17, often lured through manipulation or online platforms. 

In response, Florida leaders have stepped up both funding and legislative efforts. Gov. Ron DeSantis recently allocated $4.9 million to expand emergency shelter beds and staff support for trafficking victims, while an additional $900,000 in grant funding was provided to the FDLE. 

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“Florida is being proactive about stopping human trafficking,” DeSantis previously said. “Though our open southern border invites criminal activity like human trafficking, states can combat it with stronger penalties and increased training for emergency personnel to recognize and respond to trafficking, and today I was pleased to institute those measures in Florida.”

State lawmakers have also passed legislation to increase penalties for traffickers and mandate trafficking-awareness training for hotel workers, healthcare providers and school staff.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Uthmeier’s office for comment.

Five Democratic senators joined forces with a “Hamilton” producer to stage a gay pride concert on Monday night in protest of President Donald Trump’s takeover of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

The New York Times reported that Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado along with Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren rented the Justice Forum, a lecture hall within the Kennedy Center, for a 90-minute concert expected to feature “gay characters, gay culture, gay music and gay pride.”

“What’s happening in the world is deeply concerning, but even in our darkest hours, we must continue to seek out the light,” Hickenlooper said in a statement. “The L.G.B.T.Q. community has long embodied this resilience, maintaining joy and creativity in the face of adversity.”

KENNEDY CENTER DIRECTOR ENCOURAGES REPUBLICAN ATTENDANCE, SAYS ‘EVERYONE IS WELCOME’

The concert will be produced by Jeffrey Seller, the lead producer of “Hamilton” who described how he was asked to take part in “guerrilla theater” to the New York Times.

“This is our way of reoccupying the Kennedy Center,” Seller said. “This is a form of saying, ‘We are here, we exist, and you can’t ignore us.’ This is a protest, and a political act.”

Seller and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda previously canceled a planned production of the popular rap musical at the Kennedy Center for 2026 in protest of the Trump administration.

The concert will feature several Broadway artists as well as the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, whose May performance at the Kennedy Center was canceled. Fox News Digital was told, however, that the decision came before the center’s leadership change due to lack of ticket sales rather than politics.

BROADWAY STAR PATTI LUPONE SAYS TRUMP-LED KENNEDY CENTER ‘SHOULD GET BLOWN UP’

In a comment to Fox News Digital, Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell said that Hickenlooper initially requested the space for what was billed as a “first annual Talent show.” He said that it was not until the New York Times informed him that he learned about the protest.

“No one has been cancelled by the Kennedy Center; we welcome everyone who wants to celebrate the arts, including our compatriots on the other side of the political aisle. We especially welcome artists and audience members who come to the Kennedy Center not for partisan political pranks but to experience excellence in the performing arts,” Grenell said.

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Fox News Digital also reached out to the five Democratic senators’ offices for comment.

In February, Trump fired several Kennedy Center board members, including the president and chairman, and replaced them with pro-Trump figures, who then named the president as chairman. Trump later appointed Grenell, who was the first openly gay Cabinet member after serving the first Trump administration, as president and interim executive director.

The article was updated to include a statement from Ric Grenell.