Starmer and Macron to host coalition of the willing meeting next week
Britain and France have led efforts to establish the coalition, a peacekeeping force aimed at policing any future ceasefire deal in Ukraine, and deterring further threats by Russia.
The effectiveness of the coalition has been called into question, as only London and Paris have so far indicated they would provide frontline soldiers towards it.
The peacekeeping mission would also be predicated on American air support, something which US President Donald Trump has been unwilling to openly say he would provide.
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South Wales Guardian
15 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Israeli air strikes kill 14 Palestinians in Gaza, including 10 seeking food
Two American aid workers with the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation were also injured in southern Gaza after unknown assailants threw grenades at them at a food distribution site, the organisation said. The bloodshed comes as US-led ceasefire efforts aimed at halting a nearly 21-month war appear to be gaining momentum. Hamas gave a 'positive' response late on Friday to the latest US proposal for a 60-day truce, but said further talks are needed on implementation. Guarantees are being sought by Hamas that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. US President Donald Trump has been pushing for an agreement and is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week to discuss a deal. The Israeli air strikes struck tents in the Muwasi area on the southern end of Gaza's Mediterranean coast, killing seven people, including a Palestinian doctor and his three children, according to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Across #Gaza, attacks on tents and schools hosting displaced people and on people trying to access food continue to be reported, resulting in mass casualties. Between 7 October 2023 and 25 June 2025 in Gaza:🚨at least 57,012 Palestinians have reportedly been killed🚨134,592… — UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 5, 2025 Four others were killed in the town of Bani Suheila in southern Gaza, and three people were killed in three different strikes in Khan Younis. The Israeli army did not provide immediate comment on the strikes. Meanwhile, eight Palestinians were killed near a GHF aid distribution site in the southern city of Rafah, the hospital said. One Palestinian was also killed near another GHF point in Rafah. It was not clear how far away the Palestinians were from the sites. GHF denied the killings happened near their sites. Previously the organisation has said no-one has been shot at its sites, which are guarded by private contractors but can only be accessed by passing Israeli military positions hundreds of yards away. The army had no immediate comment, but has said it fires warning shots as a crowd-control measure and it only aims at people when its troops are threatened. One Palestinian was also killed waiting in crowds for aid trucks in eastern Khan Younis, officials at Nasser Hospital said. Fuel is a lifeline in #Gaza – it runs hospital generators, ambulances, bakeries, and water pumps. Without urgent shipments of fuel into Gaza, a complete shutdown of basic services with will bring even more suffering: a collective punishment. Fuel must be allowed in at scale… — UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 5, 2025 The United Nations and other international organisations bring in their own supplies of aid. It was unclear to which organisation the aid trucks the Palestinians were waiting for belonged to, but the incident did not appear to be connected to GHF operations. Crowds of Palestinians often wait for trucks and unload or loot their contents before they reach their destinations. These trucks must pass through areas under Israeli military control. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident. The war in Gaza was set off after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, displaced nearly all of Gaza's two million people and left many on the edge of famine.
South Wales Argus
15 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
LGBT artists decry Supreme Court ruling at rainy London Pride parade
Writer Shon Faye and the lead actor in the BBC drama What It Feels Like For A Girl, Ellis Howard, also criticised the judgment. The Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan shouted 'happy pride' and thousands people started to walk through central London, led by a more than a dozen motorcyclists from LGBT groups. There were shouts for 'trans rights now' as the engines roared and rain started to fall on Saturday afternoon. American pop singer Chaka Khan is headlining the event that saw around 500 organisations file from Hyde Park Corner, through Piccadilly Circus, and on to Whitehall Place. Members of the public watch the the Pride in London 2025 parade (Alberto Pezzali/AP) Former Years And Years singer Alexander told the PA news agency: 'Trans people right now, they need our support and love more than ever, they're being villainised, demonised in the press, by a lot of the media, and trans people they're just like us… they're you, they're me. 'They deserve the same respect, the same rights, the same privileges, same opportunities, and that's why pride is so important this year.' The solo artist and Eurovision 2024 contestant added: 'There's been a real backlash against DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies and that's been going on for years, and I think we're in a bit of a swing, that's going against where we were maybe five years ago. 'We've had the Supreme Court ruling and I feel like a lot of trans people are scared, rightfully scared, they don't understand… what their lives are going to look like.' In April the Supreme Court ruled the words 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex. Before the march began Shon Faye, author of Love in Exile and The Transgender Issue, said 'we've just seen an unprecedented attack on queer rights and trans rights across the world'. She told PA: 'For the trans community in particular here in the UK, we've seen an onslaught of misinformation, attacks in the media, and unfortunately the roll back of human rights in the courts. 'I think (pride) is more important than ever – I think a lot of trans people have been made to feel afraid in public space and pride this year is about taking back public space, and showing what we're not going to be silenced, and we're not going to be intimidated.' Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, centre right, with his wife Saadiya Khan, centre left, attend the Pride in London 2025 parade (Alberto Pezzali/AP) Asked what she hoped would change, Faye said: 'I feel like it's not a one year change deal… movements move in generations, I think what we have to do now is accept the reality of the situation we're in and we have to work together with other groups, within the LGBT community and outside it, to really start forming strong coalitions in order to fight this stuff. 'I think where we're going in the UK, unfortunately this rightward turn is going to continue for some time. The people together are powerful.' She added: 'I think the reality is what some of these attacks are designed to do is exhaust us… we become very focused and frightened and then sometimes it's easier to retreat in and the reality is we need to do the opposite of that – we need to be willing to work with people who aren't necessarily like us'. Howard played Paris Lees in the BBC dramatisation of her memoir and, like Alexander and Faye, was supporting trans rights charity Not A Phase at the parade. He told PA that 'we're in an incredibly precarious political time' and said pride this year is 'more important than ever'. The actor added: 'I think it's so, so important that we show up as queers, as allies, and we celebrate. Joy is an act of resistance. 'I hope it shows queers of all ages that we stand with you, we are for you, and we love you'. A giant rainbow flag is displayed during the 2025 Pride Parade in London (Alberto Pezzali/AP) He added: 'The recent Supreme Court ruling concerns me, the lack of proper tangible support from our Government concerns me, the lack of funding to amazing organisations like Not A Phase really, really concerns me. 'But honestly, I look around, I see stuff like this, I see what grassroots activism can do, and the power that that can have'. Sir Sadiq said: 'It was an honour and a privilege to again walk at the front of London's world-famous Pride parade as huge crowds of Londoners and visitors joined together for an incredible show of love, unity and solidarity with our LGBTQI+ communities. 'The fantastic parade and celebrations across central London have shown once again that our capital is a beacon of inclusivity and diversity. 'This year's event was also a defiant reminder that we must keep fighting for equality and take a stand against those seeking to roll back hard-won rights. 'Together, we sent a powerful message to the world that in London you are free to be whoever you want to be and love whoever you want to love, as we continue to build a better, fairer London for everyone.' A YouGov poll released ahead of the event found 67% of people in the UK believe the country is inclusive to LGBTQ+ people, and 60% would not welcome a shift towards more negative attitudes. Simon Blake, chief executive of Stonewall, which commissioned the survey, said despite the findings 'we know many LGBTQ+ people do not feel this in their neighbourhoods and workplaces'. He added: 'In policy terms, the reality is different too. 'The UK has dropped sharply down the global leaderboard for LGBTQ+ rights.' This year the UK fell to its lowest-ever ranking for LGBTI human rights, an annual report found. This was because of the Supreme Court ruling and subsequent UK Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance, said the ILGA-Europe's Rainbow Map, which has run since 2009.
Scottish Sun
20 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Trump rages Putin ‘just wants to keep killing people' in Ukraine & says he is ‘very unhappy' after 60min call with Vlad
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DONALD Trump issued a bleak warning that Putin wants to "keep killing people" after Russia launched its largest-yet barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine. In a middle finger to the US, the onslaught hit just hours after Putin and Trump had a fruitless 60-minute phone call - which touched on the possibility of fresh American sanctions. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Trump said he was 'very unhappy' with Putin Credit: AFP 5 Dozens were injured when Russia pounded Ukraine's capital Kyiv Credit: East2West 5 Putin launched an onslaught against Ukraine hours after putting the phone down to Trump Credit: AP Trump fumed on Friday that he was "very unhappy" about the phone call with Putin and ensuing strikes. He said: "[Putin] wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, it's no good." Trump revealed the two leaders had spoken "a lot" about sanctions, adding: "He understands that it may be coming." The Kremlin said on Friday it was "preferable" to reach its goals of its invasion through political and diplomatic means - despite having just blitzed Ukraine with masses of explosives. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov continued: "But as long as that is not possible, we are continuing the special operation." Hours after hanging up on Thursday night, Vlad green-lighted the largest volley of missiles and drones since the start of the war. Fires broke out in multiple locations as almost every district in the capital city was struck, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration. Dozens of Ukrainians were injured as toxic smoke engulfed the city. The Svyatoshynskyi and Solomanskyi districts were among the hardest hit, with blazes on rooftops and in courtyards. Short on air defence systems, Ukraine could only down two of 11 missiles. Russia pounds Kyiv with ballistic missile and drone attack in 'terror and murder' blitz hours after Trump said he made 'no progress' on Putin call Another nine missiles - one Kinzhal [Dagger], two Iskander-K, and six Iskander-M - wreaked havoc in the city. Trump also spoke to Ukraine's President Zelensky on Friday - and their chat was much more productive. The President said: "We talked about different things [...] I think it was a very, very strategic call." Asked about resuming supplying Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, he said: "Yeah, we might. "They're going to need something because they're being hit pretty hard." Zelensky said: "We spoke about opportunities in air defence and agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies." The US Defense Department earlier this week paused deliveries of several critical weapons systems - including Patriot missiles and precision-guided munitions. Trump has insisted he wants to help Ukraine, but has has not imposed any new sanctions on Russia since taking office. He also has not approved additional aid packages. 5 Firefighters battle a blaze in Kharkiv after Russia's all-out onslaught Credit: EPA
