Category World News

28 nations, including the United Kingdom, Japan, and a number of European countries, released a joint statement on Monday, telling Israel that the conflict in Gaza “must end now,” which is the most recent instance of growing criticism from Israel’s allies.

The foreign ministers of these nations criticized “the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, who seek to meet their most basic needs of water and food,” in a joint statement.

As the occupied Palestinian territory dries up in agony, the world is under increasing pressure from Israel over civilian casualties at aid sites, obstructing humanitarian aid, and violating international humanitarian law.

Since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1, 139 fatalities and more than 200 captured, Israel’s war on Gaza has resulted in 140, 000 injuries and more than 59, 000 deaths.

What is the joint statement’s purpose, then? These nations, who are they? And how have Israel and its closest ally, the United States, responded?

What was stated in the statement?

The nations are uniting under the simple, urgent message that “the war in Gaza must end now,” according to the joint statement.

The statement stated that the Israeli government’s aid delivery system is “dangerous, fuels instability, and deprives Gazans of human dignity” and that the suffering of civilians there has “new depths.”

They demanded that the Israeli government “observe its obligations under international humanitarian law” and immediately lift the restrictions on the flow of aid.

The group of nations called for the captives’ immediate and unrestricted release and noted that Hamas has “cruelly held” them and that they continue to “suffer terribly.”

A negotiated ceasefire offers “the best chance of bringing the captives home and putting an end to their families,” they claimed in the statement.

What else did the nations say about settler violence and demographic change?

The nations criticized Israel’s “completely unacceptable” plan to create a concentration zone, which is Israel’s attempt to relocate the entire Palestinian population to a fenced, heavily controlled zone built on the ruins of Rafah.

According to the joint statement, “permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.”

The group of nations also reaffirmed their opposition to “any steps toward territorial or demographic change in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” and pointed out that the E1 settlement plan, which it claimed would split a Palestinian state into two, “marking a flagrant violation of international law and critically]undermining] the two-state solution.”

They also criticized the rise in settler violence against Palestinians while the “settlement building across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has accelerated.” This must end.

Which nations ratified the joint statement?

The 28 foreign ministers of the 28 countries who signed the joint statement:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Malta, Malta, Malta, Malta, Malta, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.

These governments, many of whom are allies of Israel, have condemned the obstructing aid in the occupied Palestinian territory in some of their most vehement language.

Which of those nations ratifies Palestine?

Nine of these 28 nations, according to the joint statement, acknowledge the State of Palestine as a sovereign state.

Shortly after the 1988 Palestinian Declaration of Independence, Malta, Poland, and Cyprus all granted Palestinian recognition.

Iceland followed in 2011, and Sweden in 2014. In 2024, Slovenia, Spain, Norway, and Ireland all recognized Palestine.

What was Israel’s response?

The group of nations’ joint statement, which Israel rejects, is “distrupt from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas,” according to Oren Marmorstein, a spokesperson for the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on X.

Further, Israel claimed that Hamas is “occupied running a campaign to spread lies about Israel” and was purposefully causing friction and harm to civilians who receive humanitarian aid instead of agreeing to a ceasefire.

Hamas “stubbornly refuses to accept” a “concrete proposal for a ceasefire deal,” according to the statement.

What is Hamas’ position on the ceasefire?

Israel was the one who rejected a ceasefire agreement to release all prisoners held in Gaza, according to the military wing’s spokesperson.

Abu Obeida, a spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades, stated in a prerecorded video that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right ministers had rejected a “comprehensive deal” that would have immediately released all captives.

Hamas supports a deal that allows the Israeli military to withdraw, the release of humanitarian aid, and the entry of besieged Palestinians, he said, adding that it has become clear that the government of the criminal Netanyahu has no real interest in the captives because they are soldiers.

In Gaza, Hamas is still holding 50 people, with 20 of whom are reportedly still alive.

What is Israel’s restriction on entering Gaza, which Hamas claims it can use?

Hamas claims that it could divert or repurpose the necessary humanitarian supplies for military use, so Israel continues to obstruct access to Gaza.

Baby formula, food, water filters, and medicines are among the items that were omitted.

As part of Israel’s “dual-use” restrictions, which claim to be intended to prevent Hamas exploitation in military settings, are medications and medical supplies blocked.

Other medical supplies, such as anaesthetics, oxygen cylinders, and cancer medications, have been restricted.

According to Israeli authorities, some products, such as some chemicals or electronics, may have dual-use potential.

Ten years ago, when John Warmington first began diving for the reefs outside his home in Havannah Harbour in Vanuatu, tall stands of staghorns branched into yellow antlers, plate corals layered like canopies, and clouds of darting fish scurried through the maze.

He claimed that “we used to be aware of every inch of that reef.” It resembled a friend, they said.

It is no longer recognisable.

In the aftermath of Cyclone Pam’s 2015 quake, sediment from inland rivers smothered the coral beds. The recovering polyps were swept into and devoured by a starfish called the “Crown of Thorns.”

What was left after two consecutive cyclones in 2023 destroyed. The seabed was then shaken by a magnitude 7.4% earthquake in December 2024.

A coral graveyard was left in the wake of habitat collapses, coral burials, and the loss of life.

Warmington, who has logged countless dives on this single reef, said, “We have come out of the water in tears.” We simply witness heartache.

This Pacific island nation’s rising seas, rising seas, and saltwater intrusion are transforming coastlines and threatening daily life, and that heartbreak is becoming more prevalent.

Sea levels around Vanuatu’s coasts have increased by about 6mm (0.24in) annually since 1993, which is significantly higher than the average global average, and tectonic activity has increased by more than half in some areas.

Vanuatu will be able to contest the world’s highest court on Wednesday. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will provide an advisory opinion on the legal responsibilities that nations have in terms of addressing climate change and the possible repercussions.

The case, which is led by Vanuatu and supported by more than 130 nations, could have a major impact on international climate law.

Although the opinion won’t be legally binding, it could influence future efforts to hold major emitters accountable and secure the funding and support that small island nations need to adapt or survive.

The Pacific nations that have watched their ancestral homelands disappear have long been in the dust.

More than a third of Tuvalu’s population has applied for an Australian climate migration visa, with the average elevation of just two meters (6. 6 ft).

The majority of the nation’s coastline is expected to be submerged at high tide by 2100.

In an effort to raise money for possible relocation efforts, the government of Nauru has started selling passports to wealthy foreigners in exchange for providing visa-free access to dozens of nations.

Vanuatu has already pressed other international courts for opinions, and it is pushing for the international criminal court to recognize ecocide as a crime.

According to Christina Shaw, CEO of the Vanuatu Environmental Science Society, not all of these effects can be attributed to climate change alone.

Ecosystem decline is also being caused by tectonic subsidence, volcanic eruptions, deforestation, and pollution.

The environment in Vanuatu is “quite fragile by its very nature,” she said, adding that it is young, has shallow reefs, has little topsoil, and frequently suffers from natural disasters. However, we must also consider the other human effects on the environment.

The damage includes reefs, gardens, and homes, as well as those that were once thought to be untouchable.

Amos Kalsont, the village chief on the island of Pele, watches as waves slam against the sand-buried remains of his brother.

Just a few yards from the ocean are his brother’s and his father’s graves at high tide. Saltwater intrusion has been the community’s main source of drinking water, and some homes and gardens have already been relocated inland.

The village is currently considering relocating the entire village, but that would require the landowners’ grandparents to be hand-cleaned.

Many people in Vanuatu are still working toward creating something stronger, hoping that the rest of the world will back them.

John Warmington continues to dive the reef he views as a member of his family while he is back in Havannah Harbour. He and his wife Sandy have begun planting coral fragments in the hope of recovering what has been lost while a large portion of it has disappeared.

Australian author who has expressed his opinions on Israel-Palestine should be deported from the US.

More than 410, 000 Afghan refugees and migrants have been pushed out of Iran since the 12-day conflict with Israel ended on June 24. This is not the end of the wave.

More than 1.5 million Afghan refugees&nbsp, and migrants have been sent back in 2025, according to the United Nations ‘ International Organization for Migration (IOM), while the Red Cross says more than one million people more could be sent back by the end of the year.

Afghans have been a regular visitor in Iran for a long time. After the war with Israel that resulted in the deaths of more than 1, 000 Iranians, many of whom were civilians, it has now increased its efforts to unprecedented levels.

Iran has also been building a wall along its massive eastern borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan to stem the flow of irregular migration, and smuggled drugs and fuel.

A national migration organization would take over its efforts to combat irregular migration, according to the parliament’s plans.

“I’m afraid,”

“I feel like we’re being singled out because we’re easy targets and don’t have many options”, said Ahmad*, a 27-year-old undocumented Afghan migrant who came to Iran four years ago.

Before being hired as the custodian of an old residential building in Tehran’s western district, he had to perform manual labor and construction tasks.

Because he cannot have an account in his name, he receives the equivalent of $80 per month from Iran’s highly devalued currency at the current rate, which is wired to his bank card.

He has a small spot where he can sleep in the building and tries to send money to his family in Afghanistan whenever possible.

“I don’t really leave the building because I’m afraid I’ll be returned,” I said. He told Al Jazeera, “I don’t know how long I can live this way.”

Vahid Golikani, who heads the foreign nationals ‘ department of the governor’s office in Tehran, told state media last week that undocumented migrants must not be employed to protect local labour.

According to Mai Sato, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, daily returns, which include expulsions and voluntary returns, have increased significantly since the start of the war.

She joined four other special rapporteurs who spoke out against the Thursday mass elections, adding their voices to those of Amnesty International and other rights organizations.

“Afghanistan remains unsafe under Taliban rule. These widespread returns violate international law, and they put the lives of vulnerable people at risk of persecution and violence, especially minorities and women, Sato said.

alleged security dangers

Authorities and state media have said undocumented immigrants may pose a security risk, alleging that some of them were paid by Israel to carry out tasks inside Iran.

Although a few unidentified imprisoned Afghans have confessed to state television, their numbers do not appear to be comparable to those of the expulsions.

The televised confessions featured men with covered eyes and blurred-out faces saying they had sent photographs and information online to anonymous handlers linked with Mossad.

As the government works to increase the legal penalties for spying, hundreds of Iranians have been detained on suspicion of working for Israel, and several others have been executed in recent weeks.

We don’t have a single migrant from Afghanistan among the Israeli spies, according to Mohammad Mannan Raeesi, a member of parliament from the ultraconservative city of Qom, in a state television interview last week.

He pointed out that some Afghans have fought and died for Iran, and that attempts to expel irregular arrivals should avoid xenophobia.

economic strains

Prior to the most recent wave of forced returns, Iranian authorities estimated a staggering 6.1 million Afghan refugees and migrants, with many speculating that the actual figure was much higher.

Only about 780, 000 have been given official refugee status by the government.

A government that spends billions annually on hidden subsidies on necessities like fuel, electricity, and bread for everyone in the country has to take a toll on supporting millions of refugees and migrants, both regularly and irregularly.

Some Iranians have complained about the economic impact of hosting millions of Afghans unchecked after the Taliban’s chaotic invasion of Afghanistan since 2021.

Amid increasing hostility towards the Afghan arrivals over the past years, local newspapers and social media have increasingly highlighted reports of crimes like theft and rape allegedly committed by Afghan migrants. No official data on these crimes, however, has been made available.

Popular hashtags in Farsi on X and other social media platforms that refer to the returns as “national demand” have not stopped some Iranians from cheering on the mass returns, along with a large number of anonymous accounts online.

Again, there are no reliable statistics or surveys that show what portion of the Iranian population backs the move, or under what conditions.

After returning from Iran, some depressed migrants claimed security forces had beaten or humiliated them while loading them onto border crossing buses.

Others claimed they were subsequently deported after only wearing the clothes on their backs and were unable to receive their final checks, savings, or downpayments for their rented homes.

Some of those with legal documentation have not been spared, as reports emerged in recent weeks of Afghan refugees and migrants being deported after having their documents shredded by police.

Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani have both stated that the government only seeks undocumented immigrants.

Over 70% of those who were deported voluntarily came forward, according to Momeni, adding that the government set a deadline for early July departure. “Those instances have been investigated,” Momeni said last week.

“I can tell that the people are very angry.”

A number of other restrictions make life difficult for Afghans who continue to live in Iran.

They are barred from entering dozens of Iranian cities. Their work permits may not be renewed annually, or the renewal fees may be unexpectedly raised. They are unable to purchase real estate, cars, or SIM cards for their cell phones.

They are seldom given citizenship and face difficulties in getting their children into Iranian schools.

Zahra Aazim, a 22-year-old Iranian-born teacher and video editor, claimed she had not fully experienced the restrictions that accompany living in Iran for Afghans until a few years ago.

Her family immigrated to Iran about 45 years ago, shortly after the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the country’s ruling theocracy.

“What really bugs me is the fact that I was born in Iran, and my family has been living here for over four decades, but I’m still unable to get something as basic as a driver’s licence.

She told Al Jazeera, “Not to mention important documents like a national ID card or an Iranian birth certificate.”

By law, those documents are reserved for Iranian nationals. If their mother is Iranian or if they are married to an Iranian man, applicants from other countries may apply.

Aazim claimed that Iran’s regulations have only increased over time. But things took a sharp turn after the war, and she has received hundreds of threatening or insulting messages online since.

Other Afghan-origin friends in Iran have been telling me that this is no longer a place where we can live, she said.

After the war, a friend called me with the same message. I thought she meant she’s thinking about moving to another country or going back to Afghanistan. Her only option was never [taking her own life,” I never imagined.

Aazim also claimed that her 23-year-old brother was detained by police after being arrested on suspicion of espionage and later released.

The incident, along with videos of violence against Afghans that are circulating on social media, has made her feel unsafe.

“I can tell that even some of my Iranian friends are angry with the Iranian people. You start looking for those at lower levels to blame when you can’t speak out against those in power above, she said.

” I’m not saying don’t take any action if you have security concerns about Afghan migrants … I just wish they would treat us respectfully.

Respect is unrelated to geography, ethnicity, or nationality.

In upcoming discussions with Ukraine in Turkiye, Russia has understated any outcome, despite reports that more than 20 people have been injured and one child has been killed in overnight Russian attacks.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, “we don’t have any reason to hope for some miraculous breakthroughs,” this was “hardly possible in the current situation.”

We have the words “we intend to pursue our interests,” “we intend to ensure our interests,” and “we intend to accomplish the goals we have set for ourselves from the beginning.”

Some people were optimistic that negotiations would help bring an end to the conflict that began with Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, following Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement late on Monday that talks would begin. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been holding off on holding talks, which have stalled as a result of Donald Trump’s continued pressure on the United States.

On Wednesday, Istanbul is expected to host the third round of discussions in a while. Prior negotiations resulted in numerous exchanges of dead soldiers and prisoners of war, but no agreement on a ceasefire was reached.

Rustem Umerov, the former defense minister and current security council secretary, will lead Ukraine’s delegation, Zelenskyy announced on social media on Tuesday.

He also outlined potential discussion points and suggested Ukraine was prepared to “secure the release of our people from captivity and the return of abducted children, to stop the killings, and prepare a leaders’ meeting.”

Russia has not yet disclosed the team’s lineup for the discussions. At the previous round, Vladimir Medinsky, the current head of the Russian Union of Writers, led the group, which Ukraine described as not having a real decision-making role.

Peskov, who was questioned on Tuesday if he could provide an idea of the potential timeline for a possible peace agreement, said he could not provide any information on timing.

A day after Zelenskyy called for a meeting with Putin, Peskov continued, “There is a lot of work to be done before we can talk about the possibility of some top-level meetings.”

Russia’s offensive continues despite the upcoming discussions, with its forces battling to pass through the 1, 000km (620-mile) front line at eastern and northeastern locations.

One of Russia’s biggest aerial assaults in months was reported by the Ukrainian air force, which revealed 24 missiles and 426 drones launched overnight. At least 224 Russian drones and missiles were downed or jammed, according to the report, and 203 of them vanished from radars.

According to Mayor Alexander Goncharenko, a 10-year-old boy was killed and five people were hurt in one of the attacks when guided glide bombs struck a residential building in Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine.

Three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, a metropolitan area in Donetsk named Kramatorsk is a part of that region.

In the capital city of Kyiv, a barrage of Russian bombings were also reported, igniting several fires and causing damage to an underground air raid shelter for citizens. No casualties were immediately reported.

Regional authorities claim that the Sumy region of Ukraine has experienced numerous attacks in recent years. Four people were hurt when a drone struck a petrol station in Putyvl, including a five-year-old boy, according to the regional military administration. Seven people were hurt when a second drone hit the same location less than two hours later, injuring another seven.

At least 13 people were hurt in separate attacks by two powerful Russian glide bombs, including a six-year-old boy, and five apartment buildings, two private homes, and a shopping center were all damaged in the attack. According to acting mayor Artem Kobzar, the blasts shattered windows and destroyed balconies in residential buildings.

Putin made a few weeks ago, effectively by occupying the Ukrainian border areas, to declare his intention to establish a “buffer zone” in the Sumy region.

Initial reports of drone attacks in Odesa, a port city in southern Ukraine, claimed the lives of at least one person. According to regional media, fires broke out in a number of locations throughout the city.

Ukraine also launched attacks, with the Ministry of Defense of Russia reporting that 35 Ukrainian long-range drones fell over several areas overnight, including three over the Moscow region.

Jerome Powell, the head of the US Federal Reserve, has been criticizing him for slowing down interest rates, as opposed to US President Donald Trump for months.

Trump has threatened to fire Powell and pressured him to resign, going further than his predecessor, who has not been the first president to do so.

Trump’s barbs have raised questions about the possibility that the Fed will lose its independence, which would have significant effects on the US economy.

What has Powell been said by Trump?

The Fed’s decision to maintain its benchmark interest rate range of 4.25 to 4.50 percent has been Trump’s main gripe with Powell.

To keep inflation at a minimum, the US central bank has resisted calls to lower the rate, which would lower the cost of borrowing across the economy.

Powell and his associates worry that prices will increase significantly in the upcoming weeks and months as a result of Trump’s tariffs, despite current low inflation.

Trump has suggested that the rate should be as low as 1%.

Trump has been in disagreement with Powell since his first term, when he nominates him for the position. However, in April, the president launched an aggressive attack against Powell, calling him a “major loser” and “numbskull” whose “termination cannot come quickly enough.”

Trump has since asked a group of Republican lawmakers for their views on the subject, and he has made contradictory remarks about whether he intends to fire Powell.

Other senior White House officials have joined the condemnation effort, just as Trump has done with Powell.

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought accused Powell of shoddy handling the “ostentatious” $ 2.5 billion renovation of the Fed’s Washington, DC, earlier this month.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent demanded a review of the renovation project on Tuesday and that the Fed’s practices “persistent mandate creep into areas beyond its core mission.”

I requested a review of the Federal Reserve today in a CNBC interview. I think the central bank should conduct a thorough internal review of its non-monetary policy operations. The Fed has expanded into areas where institutional growth and significant mission creep…

Does Trump have the authority to oust Powell?

The head of the Fed is more difficult to remove than the head of other independent government departments.

The president may sack the central bank’s head “for cause,” which is widely understood to be evidence of corruption or malfeasance, under the Federal Reserve Act of 1913.

The Fed was further insulated from political pressure by a landmark 1935 Supreme Court decision, which made it clear that independent agency heads could not be fired without cause.

The Trump Administration appeared to be zoning in on the Fed’s renovation project to use it as a pretext to fire Powell, according to David Wilcox, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former member of the Federal Reserve Board.

According to Wilcox, “The way they’re doing that is they’re drumming up a lot of controversy regarding the costs that have been and will be spent on the renovation of two of the historic buildings.”

The alleged mishandling of this situation by Powell seems to be the stoke of criticism, and it’s possible that this extremely small-scale incident will be used as a justification for Powell’s firing “for cause.”

Does Trump’s campaign against Powell have any past success?

Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon, both of whom were Democrats and Republicans, famously pressured the Fed chair to maintain low interest rates in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Some historians believe that Nixon’s sway over Arthur Burns, the then-Fed chair, prevented him from initiating rate increases that might have prevented double-digit inflation starting in the middle of the 1970s.

What results from compromising central bank independence? According to Potomac River Capital CIO and Federal Reserve historian Mark Spindel, it has the potential to provide some kind of short-term gain for long-term pain.

And politicians are forgetful, too.

What will the market say after Powell’s resignation?

Markets have been tangled up by suggestions that Trump might scuttle Powell.

Following reports that Trump had asked Republican lawmakers whether he should fire the Fed chair, the benchmark US S&amp, P 500 briefly dropped by 0.7 percent and the US dollar dropped by 0.9 percent on Wednesday.

The most recent instance of what investors have dubbed the “TACO Trade” – short for “Trump Always Chickens Out” – was when Trump denied that he had any plans to remove Powell.

The US economy’s confidence and stock market would suffer significantly if Trump followed up on his threat to remove Powell, according to Wilcox.

“A rise in the anticipated inflation that is built into borrowing rates is probably a result.” An increase in risk premiums that are incorporated into long-term Treasury rates would reflect this, he added.

The loss of confidence that would result from the destruction of yet another important aspect of the economy, which has been ignored for many decades, would likely be reflected in the weakening of the US dollar.

Why wouldn’t Trump want Powell to be fired?

Spindel, a professor of economics, predicted that Powell might decide to stay in spite of his threats.

According to Spindel, the Fed chairman’s term expires in May of next year, and until then, Trump can use Powell as a scapegoat for any economic issues.

According to Spindel, Trump also views the stock market as a crucial indicator of success.

He claimed that the market’s influence on his policies is significant.