Pope condemns Gaza war's ‘barbarity' as 93 reported killed by Israeli fire while waiting for food
Pope Leo XIV has condemned the 'barbarity' of the war in Gaza and the 'indiscriminate use of force' as Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 93 Palestinians had been killed queueing for food, and Israel issued fresh evacuation orders for areas packed with displaced people.
Gaza's health ministry said scores were killed by Israeli fire while waiting for UN aid trucks entering through the northern Zikim crossing with Israel. It was one of the highest reported death tolls among repeated recent cases in which people seeking food have been killed by Israeli fire.
Elsewhere nine others were reportedly shot dead near an aid point close to Rafah in the south, where dozens of people lost their lives just 24 hours earlier, while four were killed near another site in Khan Younis, a spokesperson for the civil defence agency, Mahmud Basal, said.
What has Israel said about the killings? Israel's military said soldiers had shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza who it claimed posed a threat, and it was aware of some casualties. But it said the numbers reported by officials in Gaza were far higher than its initial investigation found. It did not immediately comment on the incidents in the south.
Migrants at a Miami immigration jail were shackled with their hands tied behind their backs and made to kneel to eat food from styrofoam plates 'like dogs', according to a report published today into conditions at three overcrowded south Florida facilities.
The incident at the downtown federal detention center is one of a succession of alleged abuses at Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (Ice) operated jails in the state since January, chronicled by advocacy groups Human Rights Watch, Americans for Immigrant Justice, and Sanctuary of the South from interviews with detainees.
Dozens of men had been packed into a holding cell for hours, the report said, and denied lunch until about 7pm. They remained shackled with the food on chairs in front of them.
Why else is Ice in the news? An 82-year-old man in Pennsylvania was secretly deported to Guatemala – a country to which he has no connection – after visiting an immigration office last month to replace his lost green card, according to his family, who have not heard from him since and were initially told he was dead.
US carrier Alaska Airlines grounded its flights after an IT outage yesterday that affected its systems, the company said, without specifying the nature of the outage, marking the second time it has grounded its fleet in just over a year.
The Seattle-based airline said there would be residual impacts to its operations throughout the evening, without providing more details.
Did a cyber-attack cause the IT problems? Microsoft stated yesterday that there were 'active attacks' on its server software used by government agencies and businesses but Alaska did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment on whether the outage was related to the Microsoft announcement.
The Ecuadoran government has extradited the notorious drug trafficker Adolfo Macías to the US, more than a year after he escaped from a high-security prison. The flight transporting Macías, also known as 'Fito', landed in New York state last night.
Pakistan has arrested 11 suspects after a video emerged on social media of a woman and a man being shot dead for marrying against the wishes of their families, in an 'honour' killing, authorities said.
Donald Trump has demanded that the NFL's Washington Commanders and MLB's Cleveland Guardians revert to their old names, both of which were abandoned in recent years due to being racially insensitive to Native Americans.
Superbugs could cause millions more people to die worldwide and cost the global economy just under $2tn a year by 2050, modelling shows. The research found the US, UK and EU economies would be among the hardest hit, prompting accusations that recent extreme aid cuts are self-defeating.
When lightning struck on 4 July along the remote North Rim of Grand Canyon national park, sparking a small wildfire in a patch of dry forest, few predicted the terror and loss that lay ahead. The decision to let the small blaze burn – before it suddenly burst through its containment lines – has drawn scrutiny. Now those who love the remote North Rim are reckoning with the destruction.
Climate change-induced food price shocks are on the rise and could lead to more malnutrition, political upheaval and social unrest as the world's poorest are hit by shortages of food staples. The price jumps will have knock-on effects around the world.
Ellen DeGeneres has confirmed that she moved to the UK because of Donald Trump. At a conversation event yesterday, she told broadcaster Richard Bacon: 'We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like: 'He got in.' And we're like 'We're staying here.''
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Telegraph
31 minutes ago
- Telegraph
The British terms for recognition of Palestine are not addressed to Hamas or Israel
Every day, Christians say the prayer which Jesus himself taught, the 'Our Father '. Its first expressed wish is 'Thy kingdom come'. Those three words refer to the belief that Jesus will have a Second Coming to earth which will inaugurate the eternal reign of God. When we say them, we express a sincere hope, but we are assuredly not expecting it to happen any time soon. In history, preachers have emerged claiming they are the Messiah, or his prophet, and that the Kingdom is coming right now. They have been lunatics, charlatans, or political adventurers. It is not, from a Christian view, impossible that the Second Coming will be manifested soon in a high street near you: it is just extremely unlikely. Fear those who claim otherwise. The call for a two-state solution of Israel/Palestine is the political equivalent of 'Thy kingdom come'. It is a noble aspiration towards which we should strive, but not, to put it mildly, likely or imminent. Beware of those who tell you different. The proposal to recognise a Palestinian state now makes the same mistake as those who try to fast-track the coming of Christ's kingdom. Its advocates may be perfectly sincere, but their actions empower the worst people. They will not create the state they seek. There are differences between the recognition terms being offered by France, Canada and Britain. Canada, for example, imposes quite strong conditions, such as demilitarising the Palestinians. The British version is notably the worst. It demands Hamas release the hostages, but with no penalty if Hamas does not comply. Weirdly, the British position makes our recognition of a Palestinian state dependent on Israel's behaviour in the coming weeks. Recognition will be granted 'unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza and commits to a long-term sustainable peace, including through allowing the UN to restart without delay the supply of humanitarian support … to end starvation, agreeing to a ceasefire, and making clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank'. Is Sir Keir Starmer seriously saying that if Benjamin Netanyahu obeys him and calls off his dogs of war, the case for a Palestinian state falls? If statehood is needed, that need does not depend on how 'good' or 'bad' Bibi decides to be between now and September. And what incentive does Britain give Hamas to offer a ceasefire? We have told the terrorists that if Israel agrees one, we will not recognise Palestinian statehood. What earthly reason will Hamas have for releasing the hostages now? Until the UN General Assembly, when recognition will be declared, it will want to drive Israel into more extreme positions. Then Britain will back the Palestinian state that Hamas wants. This may not matter, since Britain has so little power in the situation, and has now, by its various recent actions, lost all leverage with Israel. For Mr Netanyahu, the latest British pressure need hardly register. The only Western power that matters here is the United States. But why, then, did Sir Keir regard the nearly 80-year-old question of Palestinian statehood as suddenly so urgent that it required an emergency Cabinet meeting this week? And why is it that, for the first time, three G7 members are playing this recognition game? I suppose the answer friendliest to those three states is that they want to forestall Israel. They think that Mr Netanyahu wants to annex Gaza: they fear that President Trump cannot be relied upon to stop him. They imagine their declaration of Palestinian statehood can prevent this. They are right that the Netanyahu government has waged nearly two years of war without disclosing its post-victory plans. That makes everyone nervous. But I fear – a fear confirmed by the hasty, repetitive, almost inarticulate wording of the British statement – that the call for Palestinian state recognition is driven by motives little related to a long-term international settlement. The most obvious is that the countries involved have big, restive Muslim populations to be appeased. Here in Britain, our governing party has a proportion of Muslim membership much higher than that of the general population (thought to be over 60 per cent in London). Labour is shedding votes in all directions. Muslim ones are among the most volatile. It would not be surprising, too, if the security services were privately warning of Islamist attacks stirred up by what is happening in Gaza. Labour is scared. Slightly less obvious, but still powerful, are undercurrents about 'values'. Attending President Macron's speech in Westminster Hall during his state visit, I was struck by his emphasis on recognising Palestine. Although he said it was his own view, he implied it arose from Anglo-French conversations. He waxed eloquent about how 'for us as Europeans there is no double standard' (a remark which implies a false equivalence between Israel and Hamas). Mark Carney takes a similar line. He is back home ruling Canada these days, but there remains no greater devotee of European righteousness. One must not forget that Sir Keir, although outwardly deferential to Trump, is desperate for a shadow EU membership for Britain to wash off what he sees as the stain of nationalism and realign us with the Union our voters rejected in 2016. For him, 'European values' are talismanic. Unfortunately, they have never included robust support for Israel. Then there is colonial guilt. Speaking at Wednesday's UN conference on the two-state solution in New York, the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, invoked 'the hand of history' that famously fingered Tony Blair in Northern Ireland. Britain bears 'the special burden of responsibility' that goes back to the Balfour declaration of 1917, he said. We must protect the 'civil and religious rights' of the Palestinian people which, along with a homeland for the Jews, Balfour promised. Balfour did not promise a Palestinian state, however. There has never been one. Palestinian leaders have rejected all offers of one. This Mr Lammy did not discuss. It is a serious matter to create a new state. As a result, there are four international legal principles for doing so, based not on aspiration, but on facts: does the entity in question have 'a permanent population, a defined territory, a government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states'? This Government of lawyers is oddly reluctant to engage with these questions. It was a surprise to hear the distinguished ex-jurist Lord Sumption say on television that it is 'completely clear' that Palestine has met these conditions, especially that of having a government. Until now, such complete clarity has eluded all those who have sought to deal with representatives of the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority is much less than a government. Hamas, as all admit, has no legitimacy whatever. Its plan for statehood was well expressed in its actions of Oct 7 2023. Palestinian statehood, as currently offered, bursts with contradictions. Here is a darkly funny one. At present, the official status of most Palestinians in the territories is that of refugees (the only example in the world of refugee status being hereditary), for whom the UN is responsible. If statehood were granted, they would be refugees no more, so would UNWRA and all its aid have to be sent packing? That is just one of the many things which Sir Keir and colleagues have not thought about.
ITV News
an hour ago
- ITV News
Trump envoy visits Gaza aid sites as starvation worsens
The United Nations says more than 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking food since late May, when the Israel- and US-backed GHF began operating. ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia reports US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff visited food distribution sites in Gaza on Friday amid international outrage over worsening starvation and deadly chaos near aid sites in the enclave. With food scarce and parcels being airdropped, Witkoff and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee toured one of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) distribution sites in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city. Chapin Fay, the GHF's spokesperson, said the visit reflected Trump's understanding of the stakes and that 'feeding civilians, not Hamas, must be the priority.' All four of the group's sites are in zones controlled by the Israeli military and have become flashpoints of desperation during their months of operation, with starving people scrambling for scarce aid. The United Nations (UN) says more than 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking food since late May, when the Israel- and US-backed GHF began operating. Of those, hundreds have died near GHF sites, according to the UN. The GHF was created to replace the UN's aid role in Gaza and has been widely criticised for failing to improve conditions. The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots at people who approach its forces, and GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to prevent deadly crowding. It falls against the backdrop of man-made 'mass starvation' in Gaza due to the aid blockade on the enclave, the chief of the World Health Organisation warned reporters at a briefing on Wednesday. 'Parents tell us their children cry themselves to sleep from hunger,' Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. 'Food distribution sites have become places of violence.' Scenes of desperation and chaos played out again on Friday as scores of Palestinians ran toward food aid dropped from the air in central Gaza. Aid providers have turned to the skies as border crossings remain closed amid severe food insecurity across the Gaza Strip. Despite the airdropped parcels, the amount getting into Gaza remains far lower than the 500 to 600 trucks per day that aid organisations say are needed. The Israeli defence body in charge of coordinating humanitarian aid in Gaza said 270 trucks of aid entered Gaza on Wednesday, and 32 pallets of aid were airdropped into the Strip. Israel claims its actions were sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023, attacks, which saw around 1,200 people killed and 251 others abducted. Hamas still hold 50 hostages, including around 20 believed to be alive. Most of the others have been released in ceasefires or other deals. The retaliatory offensive has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
After a blown deadline, what next for US-Canada trade?
A self-imposed deadline for a new US-Canada trade deal came and went on Friday. So what happens next for these two deeply entwined neighbours?Canada and the US have been locked in a tariff war for six months and, despite talk of "intense" negotiations in recent weeks, a trade agreement remains elusive. Both President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney have poured cold water on the idea they will reach a quick, and tariff-free, deal. And Trump's open criticism of Canada's move to recognise a Palestinian state dashed hopes for a last minute agreement earlier this pessimism marks a shift in tone from as recently as June's G7 meeting, when the two leaders set themselves the summer deadline. Canadian negotiators have come to the conclusion that "it's not the end of the world" if a quick deal isn't reached and "that quality over speed and a rushed agreement matters a lot", said Fen Hampson, a professor of international affairs at Carleton University in - who has been tight-lipped about the negotiation details - has said as much himself, repeating that just "any deal" won't do. Still, there are pressures on both sides to give businesses a reprieve. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said on Friday he shares "Canadians' disappointment" that a deal was not reached by the deadline. He urged Carney's Liberals to do more to "take back control of our economic future". Canada is now facing a 35% tariff rate, though there is a carve out for goods compliant under a current free trade deal. American global tariffs on steel, aluminium, autos and auto parts are hurting, as the US is a top market for those sectors. The Trump administration has justified those tariffs by claiming a lack of co-operation on stemming the flow of illicit drugs like fentanyl. Canada denies that, noting about 1% of US fentanyl imports originate in Canada. It has also brought in new border protections and a "fentanyl czar" in recent months in an effort to address Trump's concerns. Threatened tariffs on copper and the expected end of a global tariff exemption used by shoppers of goods under $800 could also has responded with C$60bn ($43.3bn; £32.3bn) in counter tariffs on various American goods - the only country along with China to directly retaliate against Trump."It comes as no surprise that businesses are craving certainty after months and months of tumultuous announcements," said Catherine Fortin-Lefaivre, vice-president of international policy and global partnership at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. "But at the same time, they're not craving certainty at the expense of a really bad deal." A few factors give Canada some breathing paper, it looks like the country is facing a severe tariff rate from the US, but trade is currently more free than the levies suggest at first March, Trump announced a tariffs reprieve on goods compliant with the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, known in Canada as CUSMA and the US as the deal - negotiated during Trump's first term in office - came into force five years ago. Almost 90% of Canadian exports to the US are ultimately able to cross the border duty free, if firms file out necessary paperwork, under that agreement."That has given us a buffer, no question about it, that other countries don't have right now," said Prof means Canada is overall paying a much lower tariff rate than many of the deals already inked with the US, like the EU, South Korea and Japan at 15%, or Indonesia and the Philippines at 19%.Ottawa has also brought in some relief programmes for affected industries and has also collected about C$1.5bn more in import duties than in the same period last year, due to the counter tariffs. Why Trump's global tariffs 'victory' may well come at a high priceSee the Trump tariffs list by countryFive things now pricier in Canada due to tariffs'In business, indecision is killer' - Canadian firms seek certainty And while in the US consumer confidence is up and prices there have remained contained, it helps Canada's negotiating position if they can wait for Americans to start feeling the pain of tariffs."It's Americans who are going to squawk," said Prof Hampson. Ms Fortin-Lefaivre predicts US businesses, especially smaller firms that don't have the same resources to withstand them, will be pressuring political leaders. "So that pressure could play to our advantage," she said. Canadians also appear willing to give the new prime minister some leeway. Opinion polls suggest they are generally satisfied with his handling of "understands that doing what's best for the economy right now is actually what's best for him politically", Martha Hall Findlay, director of the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy and a former Liberal MP, told the BBC. Trump has said he is imposing tariffs to boost domestic manufacturing, open overseas markets and raise money for the government. He is also using them to push countries like Canada on a range of non-trade issues, including military the last few weeks, Ottawa has significantly ramped up its defence spending, boosted security at the shared border and killed a digital tax opposed by American tech firms. Those moves show Canada is "doing what the Americans wanted us to do", said Ms Fortin-Lefaivre. She hopes Canadian negotiators are pushing for tariffs to be as low as possible, as well as working to ensure the two deeply integrated supply chains are able to continue working together. Canada is pressing for relief on the 50% steel and aluminium tariffs, which are squeezing US automakers. And on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signalled in an interview with CNBC that is an option on the table. Trump meanwhile, has raised a number of longstanding trade irritants besides fentanyl, including Canada's protections around its dairy industry. Ottawa has previously warned of more countermeasures to come if talks collapse, though political appetite for that may be waning. Retaliatory tariffs "haven't seemed to have had the kind of impact that we would hope for", British Columbia Premier David Eby recently told retaliation, Prof Hampson said: "The Americans have escalation dominance here. So you want to be smart about it." A spokesperson for Carney declined to say whether more countermeasures remained on the table. Meanwhile, Canadian negotiators have been in Washington most of this week and keep pushing talks forward, with the minister responsible for Canada-US trade saying on Friday an acceptable agreement "was not yet in sight". "We all crave the certainty of a deal," said Ms Fortin-Lefaivre. But research by her business group suggests firms are making contingency plans. Almost 40% of goods exporters have already diversified suppliers outside the US, and 28% have diversified buyers. They are also looking ahead to what may be more challenging talks with CUSMA, which has proven a critical backstop, as it is up for review next year. It is all part of a wider push by the country to diversify trade away from the US, pull down barriers that have hindered trade between provinces, and press forward more quickly on major projects. The economic links between the two countries will stay strong - Canada will still be one of the largest trading partners and economic and security allies of the the irony is that Trump's threats may be "forcing Canada to understand we have to get our own economic house in order," said Ms Hall Findlay. "It's going to take some really tough decisions. And I do think our current government gets this."
