Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s unofficial tribunal accused the UK of aiding Israel’s war crimes and being a coercessor of the genocide. Although its conclusions have no legal weight, those who saw the suffering in Gaza have had vivid testimony.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday that 26 countries had promised to send troops or provide other military assistance to Ukraine after the war ends in a bid to guarantee security in the country.
Macron’s announcement came after a meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing” in Paris on Thursday.
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So what is the coalition, what has it announced, and how have Ukraine and Russia reacted?
A coalition of the willing is a temporary international group created to solve a specific issue or achieve a particular military or political goal.
This coalition comprises countries that share the common goal of providing Ukraine with security guarantees. They are predominantly European nations, but also include Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Canada.
The coalition was first announced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer last March.
Back then, Starmer said the coalition would comprise countries that are willing to join forces and devise a sustainable peace plan for Ukraine, to take effect after a peace deal is signed.
Leaders of 35 countries attended the meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were among leaders to attend in person, while others attended online.
In Paris on Thursday, 26 coalition members agreed to send troops or provide other assistance to Ukraine after its war with Russia is over.
“We have today 26 countries who have formally committed – some others have not yet taken a position – to deploy a ‘reassurance force’ in Ukraine, or be present on the ground, in the sea or in the air,” Macron told reporters after the meeting.
Macron did not name the 26 countries, nor did he specify the number of troops that would be deployed.
“We are ready, we the Europeans, to offer the security guarantees to Ukraine and Ukrainians the day that a peace [accord] is signed,” Macron said.
Troops would not be sent to the front lines, but they would aim to prevent future conflict from breaking out.
He added that the United States’s contribution to the security guarantees would be finalised in the coming days.
Some European countries, including Germany, Spain and Italy, have not yet committed to sending their own troops but have offered to help in other ways, such as financially or by providing training.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the summit that Germany’s decision to send troops would depend on whether the German parliament approves such a move, and the nature of US involvement in the security guarantees.
“The focus must be on financing, arming and training the Ukrainian armed forces. Germany has become Kyiv’s most important partner in this area. The German government is prepared to expand this,” Merz said, according to spokesman Stefan Kornelius.
Zelenskyy made a series of posts on his X account recapping the meeting and lauding the progress that was made on Thursday.
In a post, Zelenskyy wrote: “The Coalition of the Willing is working very actively – military, political, advisory levels. We already understand the basis for real security guarantees. The framework is there. Guarantees are not only about ‘someday’ – they are also about the present.”
In another post, Zelenskyy continued, saying the basis for the plan, in terms of forces and concrete steps, is ready.
“We define which countries will take part in particular security components: who on land, who in the air, who at sea, who in cyberspace, who, even without their own forces, can contribute financially.”
Precise details about these guarantees have not yet been made public.
Russia has rejected the notion of foreign troops entering Ukraine, even after a peace deal is struck.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that any Western troops on the ground would be deemed “legitimate targets” by the Russian military.
“If some troops appear there, especially now during the fighting, we proceed from the premise that they will be legitimate targets,” Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum in the far eastern city of Vladivostok.
Russia earlier rejected any discussion of the deployment of foreign forces in Ukraine.
Maria Zakharova, Moscow’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said on Thursday that Moscow refused to consider the idea of an international post-conflict security force “in any form”.
Zakharova told reporters: “Russia is not going to discuss the fundamentally unacceptable and security-undermining foreign intervention in Ukraine in any form, in any format.”
During his election campaign last year, US President Donald Trump repeatedly promised to promptly end the war in Ukraine if he were elected.
However, a peace agreement appears to remain out of reach as Zelenskyy, Putin and Trump have been unable to agree on terms so far.
On March 19, the US, Ukraine and Russia agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, suspending attacks on Russian and Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Then, on March 25, they announced the Black Sea agreement, pausing the military use of commercial ships and the use of force in the region.
However, both sides have accused each other of breaking these agreements, which have since expired.
On August 18, Trump met European leaders at the White House to discuss how to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. During this meeting, Trump reversed his earlier calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine, saying a peace agreement would be preferable.
One week before, Trump had met with Putin for a three-hour summit in Alaska, where Putin rejected the idea of a ceasefire before reaching a peace deal and urged Ukraine to surrender territory in the east.
Since then, the US has taken a number of actions to increase pressure on Russia to reach a peace agreement. As part of his trade tariff wars, Trump announced that he was doubling India’s tariffs from 25 percent to 50 percent because of its purchase of Russian oil. He has suggested that such measures may be in store for other Russian allies as well.
“You’re going to see a lot more. So this is a taste,” Trump said in the Oval Office on August 8, after initial tariffs were placed on India.
In July, Trump struck a deal with European NATO countries to sell more US weapons, such as Patriot missile air defence systems, for Ukraine’s use on the front lines. He said Ukraine’s European allies would foot the bill for these weapons.
And, this week, he revealed his irritation with Putin during a news conference in Washington.
“Whatever his decision is [on reaching a peace deal with Ukraine], we’ll either be happy about it or unhappy,” Trump said. “And if we’re unhappy about it, you’ll see things happen,” he said.
Following the Paris summit on Thursday, Trump held a meeting with European leaders in which he is understood to have rebuked those countries which are still buying oil from Russia, although these are mainly countries which are not members of the coalition, such as Hungary and Slovakia.
The EU as a whole is still purchasing a small volume of Russian crude oil, but the European Commission is aiming for a complete phase-out of Russian oil and gas imports by the end of 2027.
Israel’s forces have destroyed a high-rise tower in a densely populated part of Gaza City and have warned of further attacks to multi-storey buildings as it intensifies its campaign to seize control of the capital.
On Friday, the Israeli military ordered people in Mushtaha Tower, a 12-storey building located on the western side of Gaza City and surrounded by hundreds of makeshift tents, to evacuate, and later struck the building, claiming it was “Hamas infrastructure” and was used to plan and carry out operations against Israeli forces.
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Reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said the building was one of the biggest high-rises in the heart of Gaza City.
“Israeli forces hit it with two air strikes – the first was a warning and then it was hit again with another F-16 strike,” she said.
The management of the Mushtaha Tower has denied Israeli claims that the high-rise was being used by Hamas fighters, according to Al Jazeera Arabic. The building’s management said the site was only accessible to displaced people.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, also reporting from Deir el-Balah, said a number of civilians were wounded in the Israeli attack on the 12-storey tower and were transported to al-Shifa Hospital to receive emergency treatment.
“The shock wave of the attack spread over the entire area, triggering chaos. A number of makeshift tents have been affected by the attack, which signals a new phase of the Israeli military campaign,” he said.
Prior to the attack on the tower, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said on X that Israel’s military activity in Gaza City is intensifying. He said the “gates of hell are opening now” in Gaza and warned that they will not be closed until Hamas “accepts Israel’s conditions for ending the war – led by the release of all the hostages and disarmament”.
Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said Israel’s attacks on high-rises in the region are not yet over.
He said another five-storey building is facing Israel’s forced evacuation order.
“This is a building near a gas station and the YMCA, a nonprofit organisation. People are being given a short amount of time to evacuate,” he said.
Military analyst Elijah Magnier told Al Jazeera that Israel is targeting high-rise buildings in Gaza to minimise its potential troop casualties when they advance on the ground, while also spreading “panic and fear” among the civilian population.
“It also has a psychological advantage,” he noted. “Destroying the skyline creates shock, disorientation, fear and panic among civilians” who have “no visibility of the future or when this war will end”.
“This is a preparation to occupy Gaza City,” he said.
On Friday, an Israeli military spokesperson claimed that Israel controls 40 percent of Gaza City.
“We continue to damage Hamas’s infrastructure. Today we hold 40 percent of the territory of Gaza City,” Israeli Brigadier General Effie Defrin told a news conference, naming the Zeitoun and Sheikh Radwan neighbourhoods. “The operation will continue to expand and intensify in the coming days.”
Israeli forces killed at least 44 people across Gaza on Friday, with at least seven children killed in attacks in Gaza City alone.
Al Jazeera’s Khoudary said Palestinians have begun heading south due to the attacks in Gaza City.
“Tents have been filling up in az-Zawayda, al-Mawasi, Khan Younis and Deir el-Balah,” she said. “Palestinians must either survive by going south or stay in Gaza City – and we do not know what’s going to happen if they stay. There’s fear and desperation here.”
Palestinian and United Nations officials, however, say nowhere is safe in Gaza, including areas Israel designates as humanitarian zones.
Since the start of Israel’s war in October 2023, at least 64,231 people have been killed and 161,583 wounded across Gaza. A total of 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7 attacks, and about 200 were taken captive.
On Friday, Hamas released a video of two Israeli captives seized from a music festival in Israel in October 2023. Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Alon Ohel are two of 48 people still being held by Hamas in Gaza, with 20 thought to be still alive.
The video was edited and featured an exhausted-looking Gilboa-Dalal speaking for around three-and-a-half minutes. He says he is being held in Gaza City along with several other captives and that he is afraid of being killed by Israel’s offensive on the city.
Gilboa-Dalal appears to be in the backseat of a car that is being driven around. As the car passes by buildings, he identifies one as belonging to the Red Cross. At one point, Ohel is also seen.
After the release of the video, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid on X urged Israeli negotiators to resume truce talks on a deal to secure the captives.
Tens of thousands of Israelis have also staged weekly demonstrations calling for an end to the war to secure the release of the remaining captives.
Those freed so far were released as a result of diplomatic negotiations mediated by the United States and Arab states, but the last round of talks collapsed in July.
Following the announcement of the Duchess of Kent’s death earlier today, the Prince and Princess of Wales paid her a personal, heartfelt tribute.
The Duchess passed away peacefully on Thursday evening at her Kensington Palace residence surrounded by her family, according to a statement released at noon.
The 92-year-old was known for concocting the loss of Wimbledon finals, particularly a teary Jana Novotna in 1993, and for hosting awards at the championships for a long time. She opted to be known as Mrs. Kent and renounced her royal lifestyle to pursue a decade-long teaching career in music at a state primary school in Hull.
William and Kate also paid tribute to George, Helen, and Nicholas on social media by saying, “Our thoughts are with the Duke of Kent and his family, particularly George.”
The Duchess devoted her life to helping others and supporting numerous causes, including through her love of music. She will be greatly missed. W &, C. “
The Duchess, who is also the wife of the late Queen’s cousin, the Duke of Kent, was last seen in public in October with her wheelchair alongside her husband. She had been the oldest member of the Royal Family since the late Queen’s passing, but she has since made a few infrequent public appearances and has not been to King Charles’ or the former monarch’s funeral in May 2023.
She became a well-known face at royal events, including Wimbledon, when she married Edward, the Duke of Kent, in 1961, and she transitioned to a low-key music teacher.
Buckingham Palace announced her passing in a statement, saying: “It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent. Last night, her family surrounded her at Kensington Palace, where she was buried peacefully.
The Duke of Kent, his children, and grandchildren mourn their loss and remember fondly The Duchess’ lifelong devotion to all the organizations she was associated with, her love of music, and her compassion for young people, according to the King and Queen.
The Duchess’ Catholic funeral will be held in due course. The King and Queen are expected to be among the senior royals present. In modern British history, there will be the first Catholic funeral service for a royal family member.
On Thursday night, the King, who is at Balmoral, was informed, along with other members of the royal family. The duchess’s funeral will be held until the duchess’s funeral, according to Charles.
During the day of the duchess’ funeral, members of the Royal Family and household staff will wear black. Black armbands will be worn by those in Livery, the Royal Mews, and the Royal Military.
While the mourning period is in full swing, royal households will likely decide format and tone of engagements.
Although no further details have been disclosed about the duchess’s cause of death, it is believed that she had been unwell for some time. Any royal family members or the duchess’s close relatives who visit her coffin, which will be laid to rest at Kensington Palace, will keep their private affairs records.
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Former I’m A Celebrity star Myles Stephenson has opened up about a terrifying parenting ordeal where he had to rush his daughter to urgent care after a bizarre accident.
The 33-year-old Rak-Su singer, who won The X Factor with his band in 2017, told fans on social media that little Sahara, who turns three in December swallowed an acorn.
The woodland seed may be harmless to squirrels and deer, but raw acorns can be unsafe for humans to eat as they contain tannins, which can be toxic if consumed in large amounts.
The shaken pop star uploaded a clip from A&, E where Sahara can be seen telling viewers why she is in the hospital. He captioned the video: “Yep… she ate an acorn &, now we are at urgent care! Having kids does keep you on your toes”.
In the footage, Myles can be heard asking: “Why are we at the doctors”? before adding: “Because Rara ate an…” The toddler then proudly announced: “acorn”.
In an attempt to teach her a life lesson, Myles proceeded to ask “And was that smart”?, to which Sahara cheekily responded: “Yeah, yummy acorn in my tummy”.
Thankfully, Sahara appeared to be in good spirits during the hospital visit despite the scare. Myles frequently shares the ups and downs of parenthood with his fans.
Alongside Sahara, he is also dad to three-year-old Shiloh, who has faced his own medical struggles. The singer previously revealed that Shiloh suffered a stroke as a baby, which left him with Hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
This condition has caused partial paralysis on Shiloh’s right side. As a result, the youngster wears splints to support his legs and frame.
Last year Myles spoke about his son’s treatment, telling fans: “Shiloh started with the ankle-high splint, which didn’t do its job. Then, after that, we upgraded to the knee-high splint in the hopes that his heel would be able to plant with the knee-high splint, which also failed.
In the hope that his leg’s muscles will relax, Botox injections are the next step. His legs are less flexible, which is difficult to accept because of the shorter range of motion. I really sat and digested it; it’s emotionally difficult for me.
Myles is a devoted father who continues to keep up with his fans on the journey of his family online despite the difficulties of raising two young children.
Rak-Su won The X Factor in 2017 and won the show’s first all-male contestant, making Myles the first to win. The band’s self-written songs, including Dimelo, have led to their popularity on the charts and a devoted following on social media.
Myles stepped away from the stage two years later and participated in the 2019 series of I’m A Celebrity. On the reality series, he lasted three weeks, finishing seventh overall.
Former Emmerdale actress Kelli Hollis has bravely opened up about her father’s criminal past, after he was jailed for 17 years behind bars. The 49-year-old, best known for her role as Ali Spencer in the ITV soap from 2011-2015, has kept this part of her life private until now, despite attempts by some social media users to expose her family history.
In an exclusive interview with Manchester Evening News, Kelli decided it was time to share her story and move forward from the past. Despite her initial nerves about discussing such a personal matter, she made it clear that she felt no shame about her father’s actions following his conviction for supplying Class A Drugs.
Her dad, Gwynne Thomas Hollis, is no longer a part of her life, but this wasn’t always the case.
“My dad was my world,” Kelli said. “I will be honest, we haven’t spoken in almost ten years, but that is other normal family stuff.
“That is not because he has gone to prison. I absolutely adored my dad… massively. He used to joke and say I was the son he always wanted as I’m the only girl and the oldest and I have his personality and confidence. I loved him with all my heart. He is my dad at the end of the day.”
Kelli’s parents parted ways when she was just three, but her father Gwynne, a career criminal, remained a constant figure in her life. However, it didn’t take long for young Kelli to realise that her dad was not like other dads and was involved in the murky world of drug dealing.
“I have always known all my life what he does,” Kelli, who once broke down in tears in court when her father was sent down earlier in his life, said.
“But where I am from, this isn’t me saying it is OK because it is not, but I am from Beeston in Leeds. Everyone can relate to Shameless and the lifestyle and the council estate thing. So I suppose you just get on with it.
“But my dad, I will be honest, he was always supportive when I got an opportunity to be an actor because it came about very suddenly and he did nothing but encourage me to stay away from the life he has led. So I will always be grateful for that.”
As Kelli navigated through life, she found work at the local pub, a place where everyone knew everyone else’s business, so her dad’s shady activities were hardly kept under wraps.
She added: “I had suspicions as a teenager, just because of his persona and the way people were around him, that kind of thing. And then as I grew up, it was just what it was.”
Laughing, she continued: “I didn’t think ‘oh s**t my dad is a drug dealer’, do you know what I mean? It wasn’t like that. You just grow up and you only know what you know.”
However, by sheer coincidence, Kelli became an actress, with her major parts including Yvonne Karib in Shameless and Ali Spencer in Emmerdale.
Her father also dabbled in acting and they starred alongside each other in projects like Tina Goes Shopping, a drama that bagged a Bafta nomination.
Yet she revealed: “My dad got some opportunities and he loved it and he was really good. We had a conversation and he said, ‘I can’t be on the back of your coattails and I can’t risk your career because of what I am doing.'”
As Kelli rose to stardom, she remained constantly aware that her dad’s criminal activities could eventually resurface to damage her reputation.
That occurred in June 2023 when Gwynne was convicted of conspiring to supply class A drugs.
He formed part of a major drug manufacturing and distribution network in and around York.
But he failed to turn up to court for his trial, before officers eventually tracked him down. He was locked up aged 66 and handed a 17-year sentence.
Looking back on it, Kelli, who has children of her own, revealed: “We sort of knew it was coming. There had been a lot of stuff going on the previous years leading up to this. From my knowledge, they were trying to build a case for quite a few years.
“It wasn’t unexpected but what was unexpected was that he ran off and he didn’t go to court. The sad thing is that if he had just done it, he probably would have got less because they gave him more because he bolted.”
Throughout the chat, where Kelli spoke eloquently about her extraordinary circumstances, the ex-soap actress highlighted something that certain individuals might consider contradictory.
It’s widely known that Kelli relocated to Thailand where she operated a weed bar and resided there for two-and-a-half years before returning to the UK in November.
Nevertheless, she remarked: “The hypocrisy for me here is that people are going to say, ‘oh she went to Thailand and she ran a weed shop.’ But the difference is legal and illegal at the end of the day.”
She continued: “The bottom line is, it has nothing to do with me. I have not spoken to the man in ten years. He is a big grown man who has made his own life and made his own path and I have made mine.”
Despite their estrangement, we questioned whether Kelli felt compelled to contact her father when he received a lengthy prison term.
She revealed: “Me and my dad’s relationship now is pretty much done to be perfectly honest and that is on both sides. I think if I did reach out, I probably wouldn’t get the response I would get anyway.
“And do you know what, if he reached out I would probably be as stubborn and do the same to be honest, which is sad and makes me sad.”
Coming from a tight-knit community, locals continue to voice their amazement to Kelli that she and her father remain estranged, particularly considering how devoted they previously were. However, Kelli disclosed that her father received support from other family members, including her own loved ones who visited him in prison.
She was informed that Gwynne is managing well behind bars and has taken on a mentor role, particularly assisting inmates grappling with mental health issues.
Despite having a strained relationship with him, and even blocking his name on her phone to avoid online exposure, she acknowledged that he possessed some commendable qualities.
She stated: “Even though he did the things he did, he is not a violent person. We are not talking about Kray twins where people are scared of him. To him it was just a job and it wasn’t a lifestyle.
“Everybody loved him and he was a good guy who would do anything for anybody. For instance, there was a lovely lady who ran the local pub and she lost her husband. She was going to lose the pub, so a few of them chipped in to make sure she could stay afloat and not lose her home and her business.
“This was not somebody who people were scared of. He was always life and soul and it is sad that it has come to this. But I think it was inevitable considering his life. At some point, it was going to catch up with him, and the huge sentence was inevitable I think.”
Concluding the interview, the relief on Kelli’s face was palpable, especially as she had wrestled with the decision to speak out for several days prior.
However, she concluded: “I already feel better saying it out loud and knowing it will be put to bed.
“It is just a personal thing for me to get ahead of, have my say, and then it be done rather than getting a text message to say ‘oh it is in the papers today.'”.
Displaying her trademark wit, she even cheekily suggested a potential headline: “Shameless star’s shameless dad.”
But on a more serious note, she concluded: “You have to be proactive and this is more stress and a worry thing for me because I am not ashamed. It is not my life, it is my dad’s, but because we are so closely connected, and he has been involved in some of the projects I have worked with over the years, it just makes sense to have this out now and put it to bed.