Archive August 1, 2025

Trump envoy to visit Gaza aid sites as Israel accused of starvation policy

As Israel is under increasing pressure to control its starvation policy in the war-torn Palestinian territory, Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, will visit Gaza to inspect aid distribution.

As Israel’s condemnation of famine in Gaza grows and more than 1, 000 desperately hungry Palestinians have been killed since May at food distribution centers run by the infamous US- and Israeli-backed GHF, Witkoff and US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, will travel to Gaza on Friday to inspect aid distribution.

On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Witkoff would visit “distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation on the ground.”

According to Leavitt, the special envoy and the ambassador will immediately communicate with the president in order to approve a final plan for the distribution of food and aid throughout the region.

The top US envoy’s visit comes a day after more than 50 Palestinians were killed in Israeli-led attacks in the area. Health officials also confirmed that 89 children had died in recent weeks, adding to the confirmed death toll of 154 people from “famine and malnutrition” in Gaza.

According to the Israeli leader’s office, Witkoff and Netanyahu met shortly after his arrival in Israel on Thursday.

President Trump earlier this week refuted Netanyahu’s claim that Gaza’s reports of hunger were false, with the US leader claiming that the region was “real starvation”.

The Israeli military’s blockade of humanitarian aid was cited by the UN and independent experts, who had been warning about starvation in Gaza for months. This week, they announced that “famine is now unfolding.

The United Kingdom, Canada, and Portugal became the latest Western governments to announce plans to recognize a Palestinian state this week after Israel denied providing aid and continued attacks on Gaza’s population.

Following Spain, Norway, and Ireland’s lead, French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week that France would support the recognition of Palestine at the September UN General Assembly.

Out of the 193 UN members, 142 nations currently or intend to recognize a Palestinian state.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, “the humanitarian disaster in Gaza is beyond imagination,” after meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday in Jerusalem.

He urged the Israeli government to act quickly, safely, and effectively to provide humanitarian and medical aid to stop widespread starvation.

“It seems to have been understood today,” I believe.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,254

On Friday, August 1, 2018, the situation is as follows:

Fighting

    More than 100 people were hurt and killed when Russia launched missiles and drones at Kyiv on Thursday morning, according to Ukrainian authorities, who were in charge of the city. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, it attacked and targeted Ukrainian military installations, ammunition depots, and businesses connected to Kyiv’s military-industrial complex.

  • After nearly 16 months of fighting, Russia asserted that it had taken control of Chasiv Yar, a destroyed town in eastern Ukraine, calling the claim “propaganda” by Kyiv.
  • In Penza, in western Russia, Ukrainian drones were flown in by the state security agency SBU, which makes combat control systems for the Russian military.

military assistance

  • Despite US President Donald Trump’s administration’s request in its budget request, a powerful US Senate committee has approved a military spending bill that includes about $1 billion for Ukraine.

Ceasefire

  • According to President Trump, Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy, will travel to Russia after his most recent trip to Israel. Witkoff, who has previously had long-running ceasefire discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, was not given an itinerary by Trump.
  • Trump has harshly criticized Russia’s “disgusting” attitude toward Ukraine and declared he will impose sanctions on Moscow if no ceasefire agreement is reached. Putin has until August 8 to reach a resolution to put an end to the fighting, according to the US president.
  • Senior US diplomat John Kelley told the 15-member council that “both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace,” as the US once again reaffirmed its commitment to the UN Security Council. “It’s time to make a deal,” Kelly said. This must be accomplished by August 8 as President Trump has stated. The United States is prepared to take additional steps to bring about peace.
  • After the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council declared that Washington’s threats to impose sanctions on Moscow and oil producers were “a game of ultimatums” and “a step closer to a war between Russia and the US,” Trump also told Dmitry Medvedev to “watch his words.”
  • The former Russian president responded by reminding Trump to keep in mind that Moscow had the last resort of Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities.

Ukrainian affairs

    The parliament of Ukraine resolved to end Russia’s biggest political crisis since Russia’s invasion by restoring the independence of two significant anticorruption organizations.

  • The bill was approved by the legislature last week after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was under pressure from thousands of protesters and senior European officials. It was defeated by a vote of 331 to 0 in favor.

regional changes

  • In advance of joint drills scheduled for August 1 through August 5, Chinese naval vessels have steamed into Vladivostok, Russia’s far eastern port.

Communities Responsible For 80 Percent Of Banditry In Katsina — State Govt

On Thursday, the government of Katsina State decried the State’s recent resurgence of banditry and blaming local governments for failing to support the State’s ongoing fight against insecurity.

Nasiru Mu’azu Danmusa, the state’s director of internal security and home affairs, made this known during a press conference held at the press center for the Katsina government.

Danmusa insisted that communities must support the government and security agencies in order to win the war, calling banditry a “community-driven issue” that needed to be addressed.

Read more about Bandits’ killing of 38 hostages in Zamfara after collecting a 50m ransom

He therefore urged the residents to cooperate and share crucial information that will enable the arrest of criminals who threaten the peace.

The commissioner assured us that any information shared would be kept completely confidential.

He further instructed locals to pray even more for God’s return to peace.

The commissioner reiterated the government’s desire to keep town hall residents informed of their obligations and obligations.

Any person’s support, regardless of their differences, is welcomed. Local support is required to combat panditry. The conflict is largely ambushed to the brim.

Trump sets new tariffs on dozens of countries’ exports

Trump, the president of the United States, has approved an executive order that will reseal “reciprocal tariffs” on US imports from dozens of nations and locations, starting at 10 percent to 41 percent.

Trump also signed an executive order late on Thursday that increased tariffs on some Canadian goods, with the White House accusing Ottawa of failing to “cooperate in reducing the ongoing flood of fentanyl and other illicit drugs” entering the US.

The US listed 69 trading partners and their respective “adjusted” tariff rates in a statement released on Thursday titled “Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates.”

Exports to the US from some of Washington’s biggest trading partners, including Australia and the UK, will be subject to the standard 10% price.

As negotiations for a slow-moving trade agreement drag on, higher rates have been imposed on other important trading partners, including Taiwan and India, which have a 25% share.

In a statement announcing the reimposition of the tariffs on the White House website, Trump cited the “continued lack of reciprocity in our bilateral trade relationships.”

He said, “I have determined that imposing additional ad valorem duties on the products of some trading partners is necessary and appropriate to deal with the national emergency that was declared in Executive Order 14257.”

A fact sheet about the rising tariff rate for Canada was also published by the White House. Trump lamented “Canada’s continued inaction and retaliation” in the release regarding the “flow of illicit drugs” into the US via its northern border.

The White House stated that “President Trump felt it was necessary to increase Canada’s tariff from 25% to 35% in order to effectively address the existing emergency,” adding that the new rates will go into effect on August 1.

According to the fact sheet, no tariffs would be applied to goods that meet the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)’s (Mexico-Canada) requirements.

Trump declared a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), citing a “public health crisis caused by fentanyl and illicit drugs” flowing into the US from Canada shortly after taking office in January.

According to an unnamed senior Trump administration official, the US will also implement new rules of origin to set tariff rates on transshipped goods in the upcoming weeks.

President Dina Boluarte slams court’s call to suspend Peru’s amnesty law

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has been criticized by President Dina Boluarte for its opposition to a recently passed law that would have allowed soldiers, police officers, and other security personnel to receive amnesty for their participation in Peru’s internal conflict between 1985 and 2000.

Boluarte argued on Thursday that the international court’s request for the law’s suspension constituted an overreach.

She said, “We are not anyone’s colony,” while sharing a clip from her speech on social media.

“And we will not permit the Inter-American Court’s intervention in the case where the Inter-American Court intends to suspend a bill that seeks justice for members of our armed forces, our national police, and the self-defence committees, who fought and risked their lives against the utter annihilation of terrorism.”

The amnesty law has been awaiting Boluarte’s approval since it passed in Peru’s Congress in July. She has the option of passing it into law, allowing it to go into effect, or bringing it back to the Congress for revisions.

The bill has sparked outcry from the public, not the least of which because it is believed to deter security forces from being held accountable for the atrocities that occurred during Peru’s conflict.

Additionally, the legislation would grant “humanitarian” amnesty to those who have served time for war crimes over the age of 70.

On July 28, 2025, people carried fake coffins slain by political rivals.

The internal conflict claimed the lives of approximately 70 000 people, the majority of whom were from rural and indigenous communities.

The Shining Path and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement’s ostensibly armed uprisings were used as a pretext for soldiers and police officers to combat them. However, the conflict gained notoriety for the massacres of civilians without any affiliation with any rebel group and their human rights violations.

When soldiers massacred residents of his Andean village, Accomarca, Francisco Ochoa was 14 years old. He claimed earlier this week that the new amnesty law “made me feel outraged and betrayed” on behalf of himself and other survivors.

International organizations have also criticized the law as a negative development for Peruvian society.

Nine UN human rights experts expressed “alarm” in a statement released on July 17 that the bill’s passage was. They requested a veto of the Peruvian government.

According to them, the proposed legislation would stop people from facing criminal charges and bring charges against them for violating fundamental human rights during Peru’s internal armed conflict.

It would “absolutely violate international law’s obligations on the State.”

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Nancy Hernandez Lopez, the president of Peru, ordered Peru to “immediately suspend the processing” of the bill a week later. She determined that the legislation was in violation of international precedents for such amnesty laws.

The competent authorities “refuse to enforce this law” if it is not suspended, she said.

She mentioned that members of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and survivors of the earthquake would be gathered for a session.

In cases where serious human rights violations, such as forced disappearances and extrajudicial executions, have been found, the Inter-American Court has upheld the inter-American Court’s previous rulings.

Additionally, it stated that age does not affect a suspect’s ability to be detained for alleged grave human rights violations. According to the court, these exceptions are only applicable to lesser-or-nonviolent offenses under international law.

According to a coalition of humanitarian organizations in Peru, the country’s most recent amnesty law could overturn 156 convictions and halt more than 600 ongoing investigations.

Under the leadership of then-President Alberto Fujimori, a 1995 amnesty law was repealed.

President Boluarte, however, on Thursday attempted to describe her government’s actions as in line with international human rights standards.

Ground-breaking Griffin takes over as RFU president

Images courtesy of Getty

On Friday, Deborah Griffin took office as the first woman to lead the rugby football union in its 154-year history and serve as its president to promote change.

Her new position marks the culmination of her rugby-related life, which has led her to transition from playing to being the most senior backroom position in the English game.

The former Richmond player’s passion for rugby was immediately apparent when she first started playing the sport in college.

She said, “I just loved the game, and this was the most amazing thing I’ve ever done.”

“I only ever want other people to have the same thing because it has given me so much.”

Her impressive rugby resume demonstrates her commitment to giving others the opportunity to experience the same rewards.

She was one of four women to organize the first women’s rugby world championship in 1991, the first woman to serve on the RFU Council in 2010, and the first woman to serve on the RFU Board in 2014. She was also a founding member of the then Women’s Rugby Football Union.

She served for nine years on the RFU Audit Committee while also serving as a member of the World Rugby Council, a qualified chartered accountant.

One of her first responsibilities as RFU president will be the rapidly advancing Women’s Rugby World Cup, for which she received an OBE in 2011.

She said, “It’s about the entire game,” not just the women playing, you know.

Griffin travels to the tournament in a special way, driving to games on her campervan and staying overnight.

“My daughter will accompany me.” She will be working from the camper van for a year because she only gets three weeks of vacation per year in New York, so I need to make sure I have good WiFi spots there.

As England’s women prepare for the World Cup, Griffin recently met with them at their training facility.

The Red Roses have been frequently referred to as attempting to emulate the success of England’s football Lionesses, who have just won back-to-back European titles.

The Red Roses have won 25 games in a row and will be the favorites to win the tournament on home soil, but they have only once emerged as world champions despite reaching the final six World Cup matches.

My heart, which is obviously hoping that the trophy will be won at the tournament’s conclusion, said Griffin.

Griffin is entangled in reforming the government.

England pose for a selfieImages courtesy of Getty

Griffin will soon face opposition from the World Cup, but in the fall the RFU’s governance reform will be in the spotlight.

After surviving a vote of no confidence last season, RFU CEO Bill Sweeney’s focus will be on assisting English rugby.

She said, “I do think that every aspect of the game wants us to evolve and strengthen our governance.”

“That’s really, really important,” and a lot of it was caused by societal changes. We can’t stand still, just like the world can’t.

It won’t move as quickly as some might believe, but I don’t believe that’s a problem.

“We won’t have another significant governance review until after ten or more years,” the statement read. Therefore, getting this right is really, really important because I prefer to do it.

The RFU Council will receive the governance review’s findings in the fall, but work on transferring more devolved authority to various regions might start sooner.

She wants the union to become more adaptable and responsive to the needs of each region after having previously visited clubs all over England.

“I believe people want to have more influence over regional conversations and decisions,” she said.

“Hampton’s solution differs from one for Cumbria,”’ says the statement. We’ve been considering how to make those decisions, particularly in light of the expansion of rugby at more local levels, for a number of years.

related subjects

  • Rugby Union of England
  • Rugby Union
  • Rugby in English