Scotland
Trump Upbeat As EU, US Reach Trade Deal
The President of America, Donald Trump, has hailed the trade and tariff deal with the European Union( EU).
He said it was a good deal for both sides.
He spoke in Turnberry, Scotland shortly after his officials and those of the EU reached a historic deal that helped stave off a bitter trade dispute between the two trading blocs.
He claimed that the EU states would invest $750billon in the American energy sector and $600billion in other sectors.
Trump had threatened a 30 per cent trade tariff on all American imports from the 27 EU states , but the deal cut that figure by half,meaning that EU states would now pay 15 per cent on all their exports to America, effective August 1, 2025.
However, the steel exports tariffs remain unchanged at 50 per cent.
The EU Chief, Ursula Von Don Leyen, hailed the deal, but experts said it left the EU worse off.
Before the Trump administration, the EU states only paid between 2 and 3 per cent tariffs on their exports to America.
Malaysia
Thai, Cambodian Leaders Begin Talks in Malaysia
Leaders of both Thailand and Cambodia have begun talks on how to deescalate tensions and reach a peace deal to end their border clashes that have led to the death of 35 persons on both sides, according to sources.
The talks are holding in Malaysia and the delegations of both countries are led by their respective Prime Ministers.
The talks come as the mutual exchange of heavy artillery fire appeared to have eased along their common 800 kilometres long border this morning.
The border skirmishes have led to the death of 35 persons and the displacement of 200,000 persons on both sides of the border.
Diplomats hope that the talks would lead to a deal that would occasion the demilitarisation of the border and the return of those displaced to their primary places of abode.
Malaysia, as Chairman of the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) hopes to use its huge influence with both nations to encourage them to reach an abiding deal.
American President, Donald Trump, had threatened to impose stiff tariff regimes on both countries if they failed to reach a deal to end their nearby week-long skirmishes.
But he did not lay a deadline/ ultimatum
Germany
Three die, 50 injured As Train Details In Germany
Three persons died and 50 others were injured late on Sunday when a commercial train derailed in Germany.
There were 100 persons in the train at the time of the derailment, and locals and rescue workers say they have all been accounted for.
The derailment happened some 100 kilometres West of Munich and investigations are already ongoing to establish the cause of the mishap.
Locals say that a storm had passed the area shortly before the derailment and investigators are probing to sec if it was a factor in the mishap which Berlin had classified a mass casualty incident.
Operators of the public train services, which owns the train, said it was fully cooperating with investigators.
The train lost two of its four carriages to the incident.
Gaza
UN Humanitarian Chief Seeks End To War
The United Nations (UN) Humanitarian Chief, Tom Fletcher, has called for an end to the Gaza war and the Israeli humanitarian blockade of Gaza.
Speaking to the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC today, Fletcher debunked the Israeli allegation that Hamas, which Israel tags a terrorist organization, was looting humanitarian supplies in Gaza.
He said he had yet to come across any sustainable proof of the alleged mass looting act of Hamas, adding that for anyone to use the unproven allegation as a justification for the creation of an unjust policy of mass starvation against a helpless people was unfair and indefensible
Britain
British PM, Starmer Hosts
Victorious Lionesses of England Today
The Prime Minister of Britain, Sir Keir Starmer, is to host the victorious Lionesses of England at his official residence, 10 Downing Street, London.
No time has been given for the event which is due later today, and cones strong on the heels of the public commendation of the team by both Starmer and King Charles of England.
But leaders had hailed the team which came from a lone goal deficit to defeat World champions, Spain, by 4 goals to two after a penalty shoot out. on Sunday night.
By the victory the team retained the title it had won at two earlier editions of the Women European Football Championship.
The team also set the record as the only senior national team from England to win a Continental championship outside the shores of the country.
The team, which had been celebrating since Sunday night’s victory, is due to hold an open bus street parade in London tomorrow.
Scotland
Trump, Starmer Meet Today in Scotland
The President of America, Donald Trump, and the British Prime Minister,Sir Keir Starmer are due to meet later today in Scotland.
It would be the first face- to -face meeting between them for months, following their earlier trade talks meeting in Washington, months ago .
The agenda for the talks are a close secret but diplomats close to the Turnberry residence of the visiting President Trump said the Ukraine War, the fate of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Gaza war are likely to feature.
Discussions on the Gaza war are likely to be tense as Trump has repeatedly backed Israel’ s every policy in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, unlike Starmer, who has of late, repeatedly condemned Israel for its conduct in Palestine.
Britain has, of late, sanctioned some Israeli settlers on Palestinian land and threatened Israel with sanctions if it did improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.
It has also condemned Israel of late and called, together with France and Germany , for an end to the war.
Palestine
Only A Viable Palestinian State Can Guarantee Israel’s Security-Palestine PM
Neither military might, nor an endless blockade can make Palestinians capitulate on their demand for a viable tate of their own.
The Prime Minister of Palestine, Mohammed Mustapha, made his submission in an interview with Christiana Amanpour of the Cable News Network (CNN).
Mustapha today said that only a viable Palestinian State living in.mutual peace and security with Israel, could guarantee the security of Israel.
He called for an end to the war in Gaza and the full resumption of humanitarian supplies to starving Gazans.
The Palestinian leader sharply condemned Israel ‘s policies in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.
According to him, only a legitimate administration elected by all Palestinians could lead the people in an independent state that accords Palestinians full and unfettered political and all other forms of control over all of Palestinian territory..
Qatar
Hamas Gives Up On Peace Talks Israel After US, Israeli Officials’ Walkout
The Palestinian group, Hamas, has publicly expressed its loss of faith in the peace talks between it and Israeli and American officials.
The talks had been ongoing in Doha, Qatar, but last week, both Israeli and American representatives walked out, citing the unwillingness of Hamas to agree to a peace deal out forward by Qatari and Egyptian diplomats.
But today, a diplomat closed to the talks, said Hamas had lost faith in the talks because of the continued blockade of humanitarian supplies on a reasonable level and in a sustainable manner.
Israel and America had been pressing for a 60 – day truce in exchange for the mutual release of captives/ prisoners.
But there had been a sticking point as Israel insists on maintaining security in the enclave,while Hamas called for the withdrawal of its troops, during the truce.
Israel had said it was planning a humanitarian city, South of Gaza, into which it intends to put 600,000 Palestinians displaced from other parts of the strip .
Israel, in January, breached its earlier ceasefire with Hamas, same as it has done with Hezbollah of Lebanon.
Palestine
More Deaths As Israeli Begins Combat Pause Policy in Gaza.
More than 20 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military strikes in Gaza since dawn today.
The strikes targeted residential apartments in different parts of the enclave.
The deaths took to nearly 60,000 persons killed and more than 100,000 others wounded in the Israeli war on Gaza over nearly two years.
The development came on the heels of the coming into effect of the combat pause policy of Israel .
The policy created a daily 10 hour pause in fighting to allow for the inflow of humanitarian supplies into the beleaguered enclave.
The policy, which is in the teething stage of implementation, came after weeks of mounting global public criticisms of the policies of the Jewish state which critics say have occasioned hunger, starvation and famine.
Locals say that 135 persons, including four since Sunday night, had died for reason of hunger due to Israel’s policies.
Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) Humanitarian Chief,Tom Fletcher, has described as unfounded the Israeli allegation that the massive looting of humanitarian supplies by Hamas was the reason it introduced a new module of humanitarian delivery mechanism in the strip.
Fletcher told the media that there was looting of supplies by desperate starving Gazans, but he had not seen credible evidence that Hamas was involved or that it encouraged it.
