8 Israeli soldiers killed in southern Gaza ambush; deadliest day in months
Hamas says it carried out 'a complex ambush against enemy vehicles' in Tal as-Sultan district of southern Rafah city.
Tories and Labour on course for lowest share of the vote since 1945
Poll reveals historically low support for the big two, with smaller parties up by five points
Labour and the Tories are on course for their lowest combined vote share since the second world war, as the latest Opinium poll for the Observer shows a shift away from the main parties.
With all the parties having now unveiled their election manifestos, Labour has maintained a dominant 17-point lead over the Tories with less than three weeks to go until polling day. However, Reform and the Lib Dems are up two points each.
Continue reading...Iran, Sweden exchange prisoners in Omani-mediated deal – Al Jazeera English
- Iran, Sweden exchange prisoners in Omani-mediated deal Al Jazeera English
- Iranian convicted of war crimes freed in Sweden prisoner swap BBC.com
- Sweden and Iran exchange prisoners in breakthrough deal, officials say CNN
- Swedish EU diplomat Johan Floderus freed from Iranian jail in prisoner swap The Guardian
- Iran and Sweden exchange prisoners in Oman-mediated swap CBS News
Israel is fighting a war on two fronts. No end is in sight for either one | Peter Beaumont
Israel’s conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon are destined to grind on indefinitely
In 2019, Aviv Kochavi, then the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) chief of staff, delivered a bullish speech. The IDF, he proclaimed, is “all about victory”.
Assessing that the primary threats to Israel’s security were from nonstate actors such as Hamas and Hezbollah, Kochavi would the following year usher in a new operational doctrine titled “decisive victory”.
Continue reading...Muslim pilgrims converge at Mount Arafat for daylong worship as Hajj reaches its peak – The Associated Press
- Muslim pilgrims converge at Mount Arafat for daylong worship as Hajj reaches its peak The Associated Press
- Muslims converge at Mount Arafat to worship as Hajj pilgrimage reaches its peak PBS NewsHour
- Pilgrims commence the final rites of Hajj as Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Adha Arab News
- Muslim pilgrims converge on Mount Arafat for holiest day of Hajj Al Jazeera English
- More than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims arrive in Mecca for annual Hajj pilgrimage The Associated Press
Putin peace terms slammed at Ukraine summit
Leaders from Italy and Germany called the Russian president's plan "propaganda" and "dictatorial".
Israel has fallen into Hamas trap in Gaza war, says Giorgia Meloni at G7
The Italian prime minister also stated the EU will not directly contribute to a $50bn loan to Ukraine agreed at the summit
Israel is falling into a trap laid by Hamas in its war in Gaza, Giorgia Meloni said at a press conference closing the G7 summit in Bari that affirmed her role as a leading figure in Europe. The Italian prime minister also stated that the EU will not directly contribute to a $50bn loan to Ukraine agreed by the G7 leaders.
And she underlined her status by declaring that she will start talks on Monday about the allocation of top jobs in the EU on the basis that Europe has to accept the verdict of the people reflected in the results of last week’s European parliament elections.
Continue reading...Oregon officials rescue 28 people stuck upside down on amusement park ride
Visitors to the Oaks Amusement Park were stuck on the AtmosFear ride for a half hour after it unexpectedly stopped
Emergency crews in Oregon rescued 28 people on Friday after they were stuck for about half an hour dangling upside down high on a ride at a century-old amusement park.
Portland fire and rescue said on the social platform X that firefighters worked with engineers at Oaks Park to manually lower the ride, but crews had been preparing to conduct a high-angle rope rescue if necessary. All riders were being evacuated and medically evaluated, and there were no reports of injuries.
Continue reading...Rainbow flags vandalized at Stonewall National Monument in New York City
Investigation ongoing as state attorney general Letitia James says: ‘In New York, we stand for love and acceptance, not hate and bigotry.’
Rainbow flags lining the Stonewall National Monument in New York City to celebrate Pride month were taken down and destroyed this week, police said, marking the second year in a row that the flags have been vandalized during the annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community throughout June.
Authorities received a report early Friday about the missing flags at the monument in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood.
Continue reading...UK royal Kate Middleton makes first public appearance since cancer revealed
The princess of Wales has said she is making progress as she undergoes preventive chemotherapy treatment.
People left dangling upside down on amusement park ride
Footage recorded by an eyewitness shows the moment people got stuck on a ride in Portland, Oregon.
Surrey police face criticism after using car to ram escaped cow
Home secretary demands ‘urgent explanation’ over ‘heavy-handed’ attempt to capture wandering animal
The home secretary has asked Surrey police to provide a “full, urgent explanation” after footage showed officers using a car to ram an escaped cow.
James Cleverly made the comments after footage posted online showed officers ramming the cow twice with their police car, while an onlooker is heard shouting: “What are you doing that for?”
Continue reading...ICC must be allowed to carry out work ‘without intimidation’, say 93 member states
Joint statement of support for international criminal court issued following revelations of Israeli interference
The international criminal court must be allowed to carry out its work “without intimidation”, a group of 93 states has said in a significant public intervention intended to reinforce support for the judicial body.
In a joint statement issued late on Friday, the large group of ICC member states vowed to defend the institution and “preserve its integrity from any political interference and pressure against the court, its officials and those cooperating with it”.
Continue reading...Eight Israeli soldiers killed in southern Gaza, military says
Deaths will likely fuel calls for ceasefire and heighten Israeli public anger over military exemptions for ultra-Orthodox
Eight Israeli soldiers have been killed in a blast that engulfed their armoured vehicle in southern Gaza, in the biggest loss of life for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a single incident since January.
The deaths came amid continuing fighting around Rafah in which at least 19 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes.
Continue reading...Satellite Images Show Aftermath of Hit on Russian Airfield Hosting Su-34s – Newsweek
- Satellite Images Show Aftermath of Hit on Russian Airfield Hosting Su-34s Newsweek
- 87 Ukrainian Drones Strike Russia in Overnight Attack Newsweek
- Russian Morozovsk airfield attacked by 70 drones recently – Ukraine's intelligence chief Ukrainska Pravda
- Drone damages empty fuel reservoir near Russia's Voronezh, governor says Reuters
- Drones strike oil refinery in Voronezh Oblast, Russian official says Kyiv Independent
US vice-president Kamala Harris announces $1.5bn in Ukraine aid
Money will go towards repairing country’s energy infrastructure as well as providing humanitarian assistance
US vice-president, Kamala Harris, has pledged more than $1.5bn in aid for Ukraine’s energy sector and its humanitarian situation amid its ongoing war with Russia.
Harris made the announcement at a peace summit in Lucerne, Switzerland, where she met Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. She is expected to address the summit later.
Continue reading...Hundreds of thousands in France protest far right ahead of snap elections
Crowds have gathered daily in France to protest since President Macron called parliamentary elections earlier this week.
Biden wishes Trump a happy 78th birthday as campaign goes into offense over age
Dogged by age issue, president, 81, is now highlighting Trump’s many peculiarities, from hair style to Bible sales
Taking a line out of Donald Trump’s playbook, Joe Biden offered his rival a tongue-in-cheek birthday greeting on X on Friday, saying: “Happy 78th birthday, Donald. Take it from one old guy to another: Age is just a number.”
The president then coupled his thoughts with a caustic video sarcastically touting “78 of Trump’s historic … ‘accomplishments’” before a Biden re-election campaign spokesperson added: “On behalf of America, our early gift for your 79th: making sure you are never president again.”
Continue reading...Sweden says Russian warplane violated its airspace – Euronews
- Sweden says Russian warplane violated its airspace Euronews
- Finland suspects four Russian military planes violated its airspace Reuters
- Ukraine-Russia war live: Sweden scrambles fighter jets to intercept Russian bomber over Nato border The Telegraph
- Russian Fighter Jet Breached Swedish Airspace on Friday Bloomberg
- Sweden Says Russian Bomber Violated Its Airspace The Moscow Times
Iranian convicted of war crimes freed in Swedish swap
Hamid Noury has returned to Tehran in exchange for two Swedish citizens detained by Iran.