French capital to host Summer Olympics, running until Aug. 11 as 10,500 athletes fight for medals

A solution must be found by September, or else Hungary will begin to experience oil shortage, says senior official

‘Criminal acts’ were carried out in ‘prepared, coordinated’ way, Gabriel Attal says

 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Thursday about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip while reiterating a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza is a total disaster,” Guterres said as he listed two reasons. “First, a military campaign that has the highest level of killing and destruction that I remember in any other military campaign since I am Secretary General, anywhere in the world,” he said. “The second reason is because the level of humanitarian aid is totally out of proportion with the needs.” His remarks came one day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the US Congress, where he claimed that the war in Gaza has “one of the lowest ratios of combatants to non-combatant casualties in the history of urban warfare.” Turning to Netanyahu’s claims about Gaza, Guterres said: “There was nothing said yesterday that is new. So, there is nothing that was said that deserves comments, and obviously, we absolutely must keep the two-state solution as the only possible long-term solution for peace in the region, independently of whatever is said by whoever, wherever.” Asked by Anadolu about his evaluations of Netanyahu’s claims about the number of casualties in Gaza, Guterres said: “My answer is simple: to whom people believe in relation to that, I am very at ease in relation to this question.” Guterres said he has not reached out to Netanyahu while he is in the US to discuss attacks on UN convoys in Gaza. “I have not reached out to the Prime Minister, but our people have been reaching out, both to Israeli authorities and also to other countries, exactly in order to make sure that this kind of regrettable incidents are not repeated,” he added. Netanyahu has faced a wave of protests since arriving Monday in Washington. Thousands took to the streets to protest his address to Congress and his policies in Gaza. They are also demanding a cease-fire in the besieged enclave. Nearly 39,200 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 90,400 injured, according to local health authorities. Over nine months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine. Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

The United States has imposed sanctions on the Congo River Alliance, a rebel group accused of fueling conflict and seeking to overthrow the government.

Thousands of people, including Jewish Americans, demonstrated in Washington on Wednesday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint  session of the US Congress. They had descended on Capitol Hill, the seat of the US government, chanting “Free, Free Palestine” as some tried to block streets ahead of Netanyahu’s speech. Police wearing gas masks blocked the crowd, which was calling for an end to the war that has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians, from getting closer to the Capitol. Tall steel barriers ringed entrances to the complex, and security officers deployed by the score on foot, bicycle, and with dogs. Overnight, hundreds of protesters organised by a Jewish group staged a sit-in at a congressional office building, crying, “Not in our name.” The prime minister was greeted by Republican House Speaker, Mike Johnson, as he arrived in the afternoon at the Capitol, for a speech arranged weeks ago and instigated by the Speaker. “I think people are rageful that the United States government has the gall, after months and months of genocide, not to hold Benjamin Netanyahu accountable, but to continue to roll out the red carpet for him,” said demonstrator Zaid Khatib. Carrying posters saying “Wanted. War Criminal Benjamin Netayahu”, protesters demanded the prime minister’s arrest, as requested by the international criminal court’s chief prosecutor in May. One protester, who travelled from Maryland to take part in the demonstration, said it was important to show that not all US citizens support the government’s policies towards Israel. “They don’t support the policies of our elected officials. We are in a rogue kind of administration that are disconnected from the people,” said Michael Prentice. “I think it’s important to show, come out and show the world that the American people, our policies, are not popular with the American people, if that makes sense.” Inside Congress, dozens of high profile Democratic lawmakers decided not to attend Netanyahu’s speech, expressing their dismay over the civilian deaths and humanitarian crisis as a result of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The most notable absence was behind him. Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as president of the Senate and traditionally would sit behind whatever dignitary is speaking, said a long-scheduled trip would keep her away.

After two years of negotiations, Macron and Guelleh have renewed the French-Djibouti defense treaty, reinforcing military ties.

On Tuesday, four men—two South Africans and two Mexicans—appeared in court but did not enter a plea

18 bodies of passengers and crew have been recovered after a plane crashed on Wednesday in Nepal. Captain MR Shakya of the Saurya Airlines airplane was rescued and is under treatment at a hospital. The aircraft “crashed during takeoff” at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in the capital Kathmandu, the daily Kathmandu Post reported. Premnath Thakur, TIA spokesman, said the incident happened at around 11 a.m. (0515GMT). Among the 19 people were crew members as well and the plane was en route to the city of Pokhara in central Nepal. The Nepalese army led the rescue operations that are underway at the accident site.

Heightening tensions between the divided Koreas, a trash balloon allegedly sent from North landed in presidential compound in South Korea on Wednesday. “Nothing dangerous was found,” the Presidential Security Service told Seoul-based Yonhap News. The divided Koreas have been flown balloons carrying trash across the border in recent weeks. Seoul has also resumed blaring out propaganda through loud speakers towards North from the border.

Bob Menendez was acting as an agent for Egypt’s government bowing to pressure from fellow Democrats to give up the job.

Diplomatic tensions rise as Israel rejects a China-brokered deal that includes Hamas in Gaza’s governance.

Palestinian factions have pledged to end divisions during their reconciliatory talks in Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on Tuesday. The representatives inked the declaration “pledging to end division and strengthen unity.” Representatives from 14 groups of Palestinians have held talks in Beijing since Sunday. Video footage released by Chinese state media showed Wang walking along with the representatives of the Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah, after their meeting held in Beijing.

New home secretary reveals Rishi Sunak’s controversial Rwanda plan cost 700 million pounds in wasted taxpayer money.

Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to supporting Palestine Cuba and Western Sahara emphasizing his nation’s stance against oppression and subjugation.

When US President Joe Biden abruptly announced Sunday afternoon that he would be ending his bid to secure a second term in office, many were caught flat-footed. That included not only many voters around the nation, but White House staffers, senior Democrats and the Democratic National Committee, all of whom are now in what Biden’s former boss, ex-President Barack Obama, described as “uncharted waters.” Biden had long been unwavering in his determination to challenge Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump in November despite mounting Democratic calls for him to step aside after he badly flubbed a high-stakes debate with Trump in June. The performance heightened already significant concerns about Biden’s mental acumen and his ability to defeat Trump at the ballot box as many Democrats consider this year’s election a make-or-break contest for the soul of American democracy. Even as the chorus grew, Biden’s insistence that he would be the party’s nominee was echoed by many in his inner circle who continued to insist in the days and even minutes running up to his surprise announcement that Biden would be the party’s nominee. Andy Bates, a senior spokesperson in the president’s press shop, denied a report Friday that Biden’s family was discussing a potential end to the re-election campaign. “Wrong. Keep the faith,” Bates said on X in response to the NBC News article. That sentiment continued to be run publicly by many senior Democrats and the Biden campaign, which just 45 minutes before the president posted a note to X announcing that he would be stepping aside solicited campaign donations from Democrats. – Endorsement of Kamala Harris does not cement her role as Democratic nominee In announcing his decision to end his re-election bid, Biden threw his weight behind Vice President Kamala Harris, offering her his “full support and endorsement” ahead of next month’s nominating convention. That does not make her the Democratic nominee, however. The party’s blessing will only come with the support of the majority of Democratic delegates during the Aug. 19-22 Democratic National Convention (DNC), and it is unclear who will be competing for the nomination outside of Harris, much less when and how candidates will seek to garner delegates’ support. Committee Chair Jaime Harrison has maintained that there is no automatic successor to Biden, emphasizing that the party would pursue what he described as an “orderly process” to select a nominee. “The work that we must do now, while unprecedented, is clear. In the coming days, the Party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward as a united Democratic Party with a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November. This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the Party. Our delegates are prepared to take seriously their responsibility in swiftly delivering a candidate to the American people,” Harrison said in a statement. “In short order, the American people will hear from the Democratic Party on next steps and the path forward for the nomination process,” he added. Those “next steps” remain a mystery to many, not least of which are senior DNC officials, who are all in the same boat with just four weeks until the convention begins. While it is possible that individual delegates will cast their ballots in Chicago during what would be known as an open convention, the prospect has been raised that the decision could be made well before that during a previously floated virtual roll call to meet Ohio’s ballot eligibility requirements. The party had planned as recently as Friday to nominate Biden virtually at some point between Aug. 1-7 in order to ensure that the Democratic nominee met a key deadline and was on Ohio’s ballot. It is unclear if Democrats will attempt to choose their nominee via a virtual vote to ensure they conform to a deadline whose standing is now unclear for several reasons, or if the matter will be deferred for an open convention that is not slated to begin until more than a week and a half later. A convention is considered “open” when no candidate has the majority of the delegates’ support. That has not happened in decades. All of the delegates that Biden secured during the Democratic primary are now free to throw their support behind a candidate of their choosing. While the president may have sought to influence many with his endorsement of Harris, they are not obligated to support her. A later open convention would allow prospective candidates a bit more time to court delegates ahead of the convention. Amid the uncertainty, all eyes are slated to be fixed on this week’s expected meeting of the DNC’s rules committee. – Democrats face wild field for potential nominee with just 4 weeks until convention California Gov. Gavin Newsom, thought to be one of the leading Democrats for the nomination, dismissed any speculation that he would compete for the role, announcing his endorsement of Harris on Sunday night. “With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump’s dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than America’s Vice President, @KamalaHarris,” Newsom wrote on X. Other top-tier potential candidates have kept their cards close to their chest, not indicating one way or another how they will proceed. That includes billionaire Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, and California Representative Ro Khanna. Whoever wins the nomination will need the support of the majority of the Democrats’ roughly 3,900 pledged delegates. An additional group of about 700 superdelegates do not participate in a first roll call vote. They can take part in later rounds of balloting if no candidate secures a majority on the first vote. A lack of a clear nominee after a first-round vote would set up what would be known as a brokered convention, allowing the superdelegates to take part in successive balloting until one candidate emerges with a clear majority.

 Russia said early Monday that it downed a total of 75 drones launched by Ukraine in an attack on the country’s territory overnight. A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry said the country’s air defense systems intercepted and downed 47 drones over the Rostov region, which borders Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The statement further said 17 drones were shot down over the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, while a drone was downed over the Belgorod, Voronezh, and Smolensk regions, respectively. Eight drones were also downed over the Krasnodar region that borders the Rostov region to the north and the Crimean Peninsula to the west, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014. Rostov Governor Vasily Golubev said in a statement on Telegram that there were no casualties in his region due to the drone attack, indicating dry vegetation caught fire in several areas which have since been extinguished. Elsewhere, Krasnodar’s regional administration reported on Telegram that an oil refinery in the town of Tuapse was damaged due to falling debris from the downed drones. The seaside town is located about 116 kilometers (72 miles) northwest of the Russian port city of Sochi. Meanwhile, local authorities in Belgorod, Voronezh, and Smolensk have not reported any casualties or damages in the respective regions. Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the claims, though Kyiv has previously voiced that such attacks are in response to similar attacks against its energy infrastructure by Moscow.

US President Joe Biden announced on social media Sunday that he will not seek re-election

Health experts warn it could spread faster than previous variants

Israeli airstrikes target areas in central, northern Gaza Strip

US policy is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapon ‘through diplomatic ways’, says top US diplomat

 At least 40 Haitian migrants died and several others were injured after a boat they were traveling in caught fire off Cap Haitien, in the northern coast of Haiti, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Friday. “IOM deeply laments the death of at least 40 migrants after a boat caught fire off the coast of Cap Haitien, Haiti. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the migrants’ families and are working to assist the survivors of this tragedy,” the IOM said in a press release. The boat that caught fire with more than 80 Haitians left the port of Labadee on Wednesday en route to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Forty-one migrants who were rescued by the Haitian Coast Guard are currently receiving medical care. Eleven were hospitalized for treatment, including burns.  The fire apparently started when two drums of gasoline ignited, Civil Protection official Jean Henry-Petit said. The captain of the boat died in the tragic accident.  “This devastating event highlights the risks faced by children, women, and men migrating through irregular routes, demonstrating the crucial need for safe and legal pathways for migration.” said Gregoire Goodstein, IOM’s chief of mission in the country.  Haiti has been grappling with a wave of violence by gangs that are terrorizing the population with killings, kidnappings, rapes and attacks. Violent gangs control up to 80 per cent of the country´s capital of Port-au-Prince. The UN estimates that about 580,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since March due to the latest surge of violence .  “For the vast majority of Haitians, regular migration is an extremely challenging journey to consider, let alone pursue, leaving many seeing irregular migration as their only option, a particularly life-threatening one in most instances,” said the IOM. Countries in the region, including the United States, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Jamaica, have reported a growing number of boats coming from Haiti. The IOM says that more than 86,000 migrants have been forcibly returned to Haiti by neighboring countries this year. The Haitian police have said they are searching for the people responsible for organizing the clandestine trips.

The ICJ demands Israel evacuate settlements and end its occupation of Palestinian territories.

US-based cybersecurity firm is known for detecting cyberattacks on US, criticizing Microsoft’s security policies