Gaza ceasefire tests Trump-Netanyahu bond

US President Donald Trump's push for a ceasefire in Gaza is testing his bond with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That relationship was on full display this week during the Israeli leader’s third visit to Washington this year, reports The Hill.

Even when Trump and Netanyahu have diverged in private, they have usually remained publicly in lockstep — apart from Trump dropping a bomb last month during the shaky start of the Israel-Iran ceasefire.

As Trump turns his attention to ending the fighting in Gaza, Netanyahu risks drawing the president’s ire once again. 

“The president gets frustrated because he wants this victory of having brought peace,” said Elliott Abrams, US special representative for Iran during Trump’s first term. 

“I think when it comes to Gaza, he recognizes that the problem is Hamas. So, it’s frustrating to him that he can’t get the hostages out and get a ceasefire, but he’s not blaming Netanyahu.”

Trump and his top envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, say a deal is close. 

“There’s nothing definite about war, Gaza and all the other places, there’s a very good chance of a settlement, an agreement this week, maybe next week if not,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday when asked about the progress of his talks with Netanyahu. 

Witkoff said Tuesday the two sides were now in “proximity talks,” having whittled their disagreements down to one point.

A Palestinian source told the BBC that talks in Doha have stalled over disagreements on the delivery of humanitarian aid and Israeli military withdrawal.  

It’s not clear whether Trump will respect Netanyahu’s red lines — getting Hamas out of Gaza and Israel retaining freedom of military operation — or push the Israeli leader to accept a deal that would infuriate his right-wing allies and risk toppling his governing coalition.

Trump has repeatedly broken with Netanyahu’s desires in the Middle East, as demonstrated by his dropping sanctions on Syria’s new government and engaging in direct talks with Iran. Yet this week the president was notably deferential to his Israeli counterpart on questions about the future of Gaza. 

“Trump is the only US president who in his first 6 months has both sidelined Israel and made it central to his successes and policies,” Aaron David Miller, a veteran Middle East negotiator and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote Monday on the social platform X.

“The Trump-Netanyahu bromance will last until it doesn’t.” 

 

 

Historic agreement signed between US and Israel

In a milestone moment for US-Israel relations, the two nations signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday, formalizing a powerful new alliance in the fields of artificial intelligence and energy infrastructure. The agreement was signed at Blair House in Washington, with high-level participation from both governments.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretaries Doug Burgum (Interior) and Chris Wright (Energy) joined US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Israel’s Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter for the landmark signing. Also leading the effort was Israel’s Energy Secretary Eli Cohen, whose vision helped shape the strategic framework.

The MoU aims to accelerate joint research and policy development in applying AI technologies to fortify national energy grids and drive energy innovation across both countries. Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the Prime Minister’s Office, and several US federal agencies including the Department of Energy and the White House National Energy Dominance Council are key parties to the agreement.

“The future belongs to those who innovate,” Netanyahu declared. “America and Israel are the prime innovation nations on the planet. AI is the thrust of innovation now… This day will be remembered. Not every signing ceremony is as significant as this. This is very significant.”

This agreement follows weeks of deepened US-Israel cooperation in the wake of Israel’s successful 12-day air campaign against Iran’s nuclear sites. As Secretary Burgum emphasized, “The planning, the execution, the world has never seen anything like it truly eliminating one of the existential threats that was facing the entire world.”

He continued, “This step takes us into the future… Defense would not be working without AI, and Israel’s incredible startup community and technological leadership make it the perfect partner.”

Secretary Wright echoed this sentiment “Israel has been a great American ally for a long time, and our partnership has never been tighter, never been stronger than it is today.”

The MoU sets the stage for concrete collaboration in key strategic sectors and reinforces Israel’s status as a premier global innovation hub. From securing critical infrastructure to driving forward breakthroughs in clean energy and machine learning, this partnership opens new frontiers for both nations.

As Netanyahu noted, “It will make both of us greater again.” This is not just diplomacy it’s shared destiny.

 

Iran threat to Britain, significant and rising

Iran poses a significant and wide-ranging threat to Britain and, while not in the same league as Russia or China, it is one which is rising and for which the British government is not fully prepared, British lawmakers said in a report released on Thursday, reports Reuters.

Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said the Iranian risk varied from physical attacks on and potential assassinations of dissidents and Jewish targets, to espionage, offensive cyber capabilities and its attempt to develop nuclear weapons."

Iran is there across the full spectrum of all the kinds of threats we have to be concerned with," the committee chair, Kevan Jones, said in a statement.

Although the evidence given to the committee concluded in August 2023, the lawmakers said their recommendations about action the government should take remained relevant and it is the latest message from the British authorities on the danger they say Tehran poses.

Last year, the head of Britain's domestic spy agency MI5 said since January 2022, his service and British police had responded to 20 Iran-backed plots to kidnap or kill British nationals or individuals based in the United Kingdom regarded by Tehran as a threat.

In March, Britain said it would require the Iranian state to register everything it does to exert political influence in Britain, subjecting Tehran to an elevated tier of scrutiny in light of what it said was increasingly aggressive activity.

British security services say Tehran uses criminal proxies to carry out its work in Britain, and the ISC said the threat to individuals was comparable to that posed by Russia.

In December, two Romanians were charged after a journalist working for a Persian language media organization in London was stabbed in the leg, while just last month three Iranian men appeared in court charged with assisting Iran's foreign intelligence service and plotting violence against journalists.

The ISC said the British government should fully examine whether it would be practicable to proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), an action for which some lawmakers have long called.

US imposes sanctions on Francesca Albanese

The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, who has been very critical of Israel's war in Gaza, reports Reuters.

In a post on X late on Wednesday, Albanese wrote that she stood "firmly and convincingly on the side of justice, as I have always done," without directly mentioning the US sanctions. In a text message to Al Jazeera, she was quoted as dismissing the US move as "mafia style intimidation techniques."

Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has stopped US engagement with the UN Human Rights Council, extended a halt to funding for the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA and ordered a review of the UN cultural agency UNESCO. He has also announced US plans to quit the Paris climate deal and the World Health Organization.

"Today I am imposing sanctions on UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese for her illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt (International Criminal Court) action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

Albanese, an Italian lawyer and academic, has called on states at the UN Human Rights Council to impose an arms embargo and cut off trade and financial ties with Israel while accusing the US ally of waging a "genocidal campaign" in Gaza.

Israel has faced accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the ICC over its devastating military assault on Gaza.

Israel denies the accusations and says its campaign amounts to self-defense after a deadly October 2023 Hamas attack.

In a report published earlier this month, Albanese accused over 60 companies, including major arms manufacturers and technology firms, of involvement in supporting Israeli settlements and military actions in Gaza. The report called on companies to cease dealings with Israel and for legal accountability for executives implicated in alleged violations of international law.

Albanese is one of dozens of independent human rights experts mandated by the United Nations to report on specific themes and crises. The views expressed by special rapporteurs do not reflect those of the global body as a whole.

Rights experts slammed the US sanctions against Albanese. Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the Center for International Policy think tank, labeled them as "rogue state behavior" while Amnesty International said special rapporteurs must be supported and not sanctioned.

"Governments around the world and all actors who believe in the rule-based order and international law must do everything in their power to mitigate and block the effect of the sanctions against Francesca Albanese and more generally to protect the work and independence of Special Rapporteurs," Amnesty International's Secretary General Agnes Callamard, a former UN special rapporteur, said.

His administration imposed sanctions on four judges at the ICC in June in retaliation over the war tribunal's issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a past decision to open a case into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan.

 

Trump threatens 50% tariffs on Brazil

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened Brazil with a crippling tariff of 50% starting August 01, according to a letter he sent to the country’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

In the letter posted on Truth Social, Trump alleged Lula is undertaking a “Witch Hunt that should end immediately” over charges against its right wing former president, Jair Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro, who has bragged about his closeness with Trump, is facing trial for allegedly attempting to stage a coup against Lula.

Bolsonaro and dozens of associates have been charged with attempting a coup d’état, which prosecutors allege involved a plan to potentially assassinate elected President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Lula vowed to reciprocate if Trump follows through with his threat.

“Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage,” Lula said in a post on X.

“Any measure to increase tariffs unilaterally will be responded to in light of Brazil’s Law of Economic Reciprocity,” he added.

This marks the first time in months another country has threatened to match Trump’s tariff threat.

Unlike the 21 other countries that have received letters from Trump this week, Brazil was not set to face “reciprocal” tariffs in April. Goods from there have instead been tariffed at a minimum of 10%, which is the rate Trump has been taxing most goods from countries that were set to face “reciprocal” tariffs.

Unlike the other 21 countries, the US ran a US$6.8 billion trade surplus with Brazil last year, meaning the US exported more goods to there than it imported from there. That means Brazil’s 50% tariff on American goods could severely harm domestic businesses that rely on exporting goods there.

This is not the first time Trump has used the threat of tariffs to try to change other countries’ domestic policy decisions.

Earlier this year, he threatened 25% tariffs on Colombian exports that would grow to 50% if the country didn’t accept deportees from the US. Colombia ultimately accepted the deportees and avoided those tariffs.

Trump also imposed tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China over the role he alleges they play in facilitating illegal migration to the US and enabling fentanyl to reach the country.

In all the letters except the one sent to Brazil’s Lula, Trump wrote that he takes particular issue with the trade deficits the United States runs with other nations, meaning America buys more goods from there compared to how much American businesses export to those countries. Trump also said the tariffs would be set in response to other policies that he deems are impeding American goods from being sold abroad.

JPMorgan economists said in a note to clients on Wednesday titled “Another day, another step closer to Liberation Day” that the 50% tariff threat on Brazilian goods was “most surprising.” (“Liberation Day” refers to April 02, the day Trump held a Rose Garden event to announce “reciprocal” tariff rates.)

 

Trump and Netanyahu partners in killing of Gazans

As Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, along with their respective delegations, sat down to dinner in the White House on Monday, Israeli forces were busy doing what they have been doing in the killing fields of Gaza for the past 21 months - murdering and pillaging.

And perhaps the most unfortunate development during this meeting was the fact that the Israeli leader — responsible for the murder of tens of thousands of Palestinian men, women and children — announced that he had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Sometimes reality is far more grotesque than fiction. And though negotiations for a possible ceasefire continue, no one should doubt Israel’s long-term intentions even if the butchery stops - the Israeli state seeks to ethnically cleanse the occupied territories of their Palestinian inhabitants, and forever obstruct the chances of a viable Palestinian state.

Those who believe a two-state solution is still possible should listen closely to what Netanyahu said at the White House. “Never again” he declared when discussing a “complete state” for the Palestinians, while adding that “overall security will always remain in our hands”.

By security, one assumes the Israeli leader means that Tel Aviv will always retain the ‘right’ to butcher Palestinians into submission should they step out of line.

As for Gaza? The Israeli leader repeated the intention to ethnically cleanse the Strip, and ship the Palestinians off to other countries.

His defence minister offered more details, saying that all of Gaza’s Palestinians will be rounded up into a concentration camp in Rafah, and after “de-radicalization”, they will be “encouraged” to leave for other states.

Perhaps starvation and mass murder are amongst the methods the Israeli state uses to ‘encourage’ Palestinians to flee. But the brave people of Gaza are not ready to go anywhere; they would rather die on their land than face expulsion and exile.

Ever since the October 07, 2023 events, over 57,000 people have been slaughtered by Israel in Gaza. However, the Gaza Mortality Survey, conducted by experts from the Britain and other Western states, suggests the actual death toll may be over 83,000.

But to the world these are mere numbers; no one has the moral courage to halt this massacre. What is particularly shocking is how much Zionism in modern Israel resembles Nazism in 20th-century Europe. Both are exclusionary ideologies, with their followers known to perpetrate unimaginable cruelty.

The Nazis sent their victims off to the gas chambers; the Israeli state oversees a genocide in Gaza. But while Nazism is today rightly condemned the world over, the modern followers of Zionism get the best seat at the table, and are wined and dined by the world’s most powerful leaders, as the children of Gaza suffer and die in pain.

Courtesy: Dawn Newspaper

 

Netanyahu meets Trump at White House

US President Donald Trump, hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, said the United States had scheduled talks with Iran and indicated progress on a controversial effort to relocate Palestinians out of Gaza, reports Reuters.

Speaking to reporters at the beginning of a dinner between US and Israeli officials, Netanyahu said the United States and Israel were working with other countries who would give Palestinians a "better future," suggesting that the residents of Gaza could move to neighboring nations.

"If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave," Netanyahu said.

"We're working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will seek to realize what they always say, that they wanted to give the Palestinians a better future. I think we're getting close to finding several countries."

Trump, who initially demurred to Netanyahu when asked about the relocating of Palestinians, said the countries around Israel were helping out. "We've had great cooperation from ... surrounding countries, great cooperation from every single one of them. So something good will happen," Trump said.

Trump floated relocating Palestinians and taking over the Gaza Strip earlier this year. Gazans criticized the proposal and vowed never to leave their homes in the coastal enclave.

Trump and Netanyahu met in Washington while Israeli officials held indirect negotiations with Hamas aimed at securing a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal.

It was Trump's third face-to-face encounter with Netanyahu since returning to office in January, and came just over two weeks after the president ordered the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israeli air strikes.

Trump said his administration would be meeting with Iran. "We have scheduled Iran talks, and they ... want to talk. They took a big drubbing," he said.

Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said the meeting would take place in the next week or so.

Trump said he would like to lift sanctions on Iran at some point. "I would love to be able to, at the right time, take those sanctions off," he said.

Trump and his aides appeared to be trying to seize on any momentum created by the weakening of Iran, which backs Hamas, to push both sides for a breakthrough in the 21-month Gaza war.

The two leaders, with their top advisers, held a private dinner in the White House Blue Room, instead of more traditional talks in the Oval Office, where the president usually greets visiting dignitaries.

During their meeting, Netanyahu gave Trump a letter that he said he had used to nominate the US president for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump, appearing pleased by the gesture, thanked him.

Israeli officials also hope the outcome of the conflict with Iran will pave the way for normalization of relations with more of its neighbors such as Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia.

 

World does not need an emperor, says Lula

Developing nations at the BRICS summit on Monday brushed away an accusation from President Donald Trump that they are "anti-American," with Brazil's president saying the world does not need an emperor after the US leader threatened extra tariffs on the bloc, reports Reuters.

Trump's threat on Sunday night came as the US government prepared to finalize dozens of trade deals with a range of countries before his July 09 deadline for the imposition of significant "retaliatory tariffs."

The Trump administration does not intend to immediately impose an additional 10% tariff against BRICS nations, as threatened, but will proceed if individual countries take policies his administration deems "anti-American," according to a source familiar with the matter.

At the end of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Lula was defiant when asked by journalists about Trump's tariff threat, "The world has changed. We don't want an emperor."

"This is a set of countries that wants to find another way of organizing the world from the economic perspective," he said of the bloc. "I think that's why the BRICS are making people uncomfortable."

In February, Trump warned the BRICS would face "100% tariffs" if they tried to undermine the role of the US dollar in global trade. Brazil's BRICS presidency had already backed off efforts to advance a common currency for the group that some members proposed last year.

But Lula repeated on Monday his view that global trade needs alternatives to the US dollar.

"The world needs to find a way that our trade relations don't have to pass through the dollar," Lula told journalists at the end of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro.

"Obviously, we have to be responsible about doing that carefully. Our central banks have to discuss it with central banks from other countries," he added. "That's something that happens gradually until it's consolidated."

Other BRICS members also pushed back against Trump's threats more subtly.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters that the group does not seek to compete with any other power and expressed confidence in reaching a trade deal with the US.

"Tariffs should not be used as a tool for coercion and pressuring," Mao Ning, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in Beijing. The BRICS advocates for "win-win cooperation," she added, and "does not target any country."

A Kremlin spokesperson said Russia's cooperation with the BRICS was based on a "common world view" and "will never be directed against third countries."

Many BRICS members and many of the group's partner nations are highly dependent on trade with the United States.

New member Indonesia's senior economic minister, Airlangga Hartarto, who is in Brazil for the BRICS summit, is to the US on Monday to oversee tariff talks, an official told Reuters.

Malaysia, which was attending as a partner country and was slapped with 24% tariffs that were later suspended, said that it maintains independent economic policies and is not focused on ideological alignment.

 

Trump threatens extra tariffs on BRICS

President Donald Trump said the US will impose an additional 10% tariff on any countries aligning themselves with the "Anti-American policies" of the BRICS group of developing nations, whose leaders kicked off a summit in Brazil on Sunday, reports Reuters.

With forums such as the G7 and G20 groups of major economies hamstrung by divisions and the disruptive "America First" approach of the US president, BRICS is presenting itself as a haven for multilateral diplomacy amid violent conflicts and trade wars.

In opening remarks to the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva drew a parallel with the Cold War's Non-Aligned Movement, a group of developing nations that resisted joining either side of a polarized global order. "BRICS is the heir to the Non-Aligned Movement," Lula told leaders. "With multilateralism under attack, our autonomy is in check once again."

In a joint statement released on Sunday afternoon, the group warned the rise in tariffs threatened global trade, continuing its veiled criticism of Trump's tariff policies.

Hours later, Trump warned he would punish countries seeking to join with the grouping.

"Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an additional 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump did not clarify or expand on the "Anti-American policies" reference in his post.

Trump's administration is seeking to finalize dozens of trade deals with a wide range of countries before his July 09 deadline for the imposition of significant "retaliatory tariffs".

BRICS nations now represent more than half the world's population and 40% of its economic output, Lula noted in remarks on Saturday to business leaders, warning of rising protectionism.

More than 30 nations have expressed interest in participating in the BRICS, either as full members or partners.

Trump-Israel Legacy Coin issued

In honor of July 04 and celebrate the historic bond between the United States and Israel, Trump-Israel Legacy Coin has been issued.

It has been minted to honor a partnership that is stronger than ever, this historic commemorative coin pays tribute to two leaders, whose courageous visions continue to reshape the Middle East.

From the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital to the Abraham Accords to a rock-solid commitment to Israel’s defense, this historic era is defined by bold legacies of leadership and strength.

The precision-minted coins feature detailed images of President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu on the front, and a tribute to four defining moments in the president’s legacy of achievements for Israel on the reverse side.

A portion of proceeds benefits vital Israel charities.

 

BRICS leaders gather at Rio de Janeiro

According to Reuters, leaders of the growing BRICS group of developing nations were set to gather in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, calling for reform of traditional Western institutions while presenting the bloc as a defender of multilateralism in an increasingly fractured world.

With forums such as the G7 and G20 groups of major economies hamstrung by divisions and the disruptive "America First" approach of US President Donald Trump, expansion of the BRICS has opened new space for diplomatic coordination.

"In the face of the resurgence of protectionism, it is up to emerging nations to defend the multilateral trade regime and reform the international financial architecture," Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told a BRICS business forum on Saturday.

BRICS nations now represent over half the world's population and 40% of its economic output.

The BRICS group gathered leaders from Brazil, Russia, India and China at its first summit in 2009. The bloc later added South Africa and last year included Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as full members. This is the first leaders' summit to include Indonesia.

"The vacuum left by others ends up being filled almost instantly by the BRICS," said a Brazilian diplomat who asked not to be named. Although the G7 still concentrates vast power, the source added, "It doesn't have the predominance it once did."

However, there are questions about the shared goals of an increasingly heterogenous BRICS group, which has grown to include regional rivals along with major emerging economies.

Stealing some thunder from this year's summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping chose to send his prime minister in his place. Russian President Vladimir Putin is attending online due to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.

Still, many heads of state will gather for discussions at Rio's Museum of Modern Art on Sunday and Monday, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Over 30 nations have expressed interest in participating in the BRICS, either as full members or partners.

Brazil, which also hosts the United Nations climate summit in November, has seized on both gatherings to highlight how seriously developing nations are tackling climate change, while Trump has slammed the brakes on US climate initiatives.

Both China and the UAE signaled in meetings with Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad in Rio that they plan to invest in a proposed Tropical Forests Forever Facility.

Expansion of the BRICS has added diplomatic weight to the gathering, which aspires to speak for developing nations across the Global South, strengthening calls for reforming global institutions such as the United Nations Security Council and the International Monetary Fund.

The growth of the bloc has also increased the challenges to reaching consensus on contentious geopolitical issues.

Ahead of the summit, negotiators struggled to find shared language for a joint statement about the bombardment of Gaza, the Israel-Iran conflict and a proposed reform of the Security Council.

To overcome differences among African nations regarding the continent's proposed representative to a reformed Security Council, the group agreed to endorse seats for Brazil and India while leaving open which country should represent Africa's interests, a person familiar with the talks told Reuters.

The BRICS will also continue their thinly veiled criticism of Trump's US tariff policy. At an April ministerial meeting, the bloc expressed concern about "unjustified unilateral protectionist measures, including the indiscriminate increase of reciprocal tariffs."

 

Germany seeks agreement with Taliban to take back convicted Afghan migrants

Germany wants to negotiate a direct agreement with the Taliban to take back Afghan nationals set for deportation, according to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, reports Euronews.

"My idea is that we make agreements directly with Afghanistan to enable repatriations," said in an interview with the news magazine, Focus.

"We still need third parties to conduct talks with Afghanistan. This cannot remain a permanent solution."

In August last year, Germany resumed flying convicted Afghan nationals back to Afghanistan after suspending deportations after the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

Berlin said those flights were facilitated with the support of "key regional partners". But now, Germany wants to do this directly in cooperation with the Taliban in Kabul.

In the interview, Dobrindt said Berlin is also in contact with Damascus in a bid to reach an agreement on the deportation of Syrian migrants convicted of crimes in Germany.

Dobrindt represents the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

Merz has pledged to deport people to Syria and Afghanistan, as well as stop refugee admission programs for former local staff of German agencies in the latter.

The admission programs were set up after the Taliban takeover was said to be a direct threat to their lives due to possible retaliation.

Migration was a key issue as Germans headed to the polls to vote in February's snap federal elections following the rise of the far right and several high-profile attacks by migrants.

Syrians and Afghans make up the two largest groups of asylum seekers in Germany, with 76,765 Syrians and 34,149 Afghans applying for asylum last year, according to official figures.

On Friday, the United Nations criticized plans to strike a deal with the Taliban to return migrants to Afghanistan.

Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the United Nations Human Rights Office, told reporters in Geneva it was "not appropriate to return people to Afghanistan."

"We have been documenting continuing human rights violations in Afghanistan," she said, highlighting severe restrictions on women's rights and executions.

Arafat Jamal of the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) in Kabul said his organization still had a "non-return advisory" in place for Afghanistan.

"In other words ... the conditions on the ground are not yet ready for returns," he said. "We urge countries not to forcibly return to Afghanistan."

Germany does not recognize the Taliban government since its takeover in 2021 after NATO troops withdrew from the country and maintains no official diplomatic ties with Kabul.

On Friday, Russia became the first country in the world to formally recognize the Taliban government and establish full diplomatic links with Kabul.

Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi stated that he hoped the move would serve as an example to other countries, but it was criticized by opposition figures and human rights groups.

Understanding US and Russian policies towards Taliban

Russia has become the first country to recognize Taliban government in Afghanistan. It is on record that the United States and Russia have had different policies toward Taliban due to their distinct strategic interests, historical experiences, and regional alliances. Here’s a breakdown of some of the key reasons behind this divergence:

The United States has fought Taliban directly for over two decades after 9/11, viewing them as terrorist allies of al-Qaeda. This includes the US led NATO invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 to topple the Taliban regime.

Interestingly, Russia has not fought Taliban directly but has a history of conflicts in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion (1979–1989), where the US and others supported the Mujahideen, some of these are now termed Taliban).

Russia sees Taliban as part of the post-Soviet regional security dynamic, not necessarily as a direct enemy.

Most interesting is the US perspective because it considers Taliban a threats to US homeland and allies. The history shows that Afghans/ Taliban never attacked the United States. It is also said that Osama bin Laden was a Saudi, which supported Mujahideen in averting the USSR attack on Afghanistan to get access to the warm waters.

The US, which never wanted to leave Afghanistan believes that Taliban rule could once again turn the country into a safe haven for global jihadis like al-Qaeda or ISIS-K. Some analysts openly say that be it al-Qaeda or ISIS-K, these are ‘B’ teams of CIA.

The prime focus of Russia is more on Central Asian stability and drug trafficking from Afghanistan. Russia fears spillover of extremism into its southern borders but engages pragmatically with Taliban to keep its influence in the region.

Both the US and Russia are keen in engaging with Taliban. The US was initially hostile, but later engaged diplomatically, courtesy Doha talks, culminating in the 2020 US-Taliban agreement. After the 2021 withdrawal, the US maintains non-recognition and economic sanctions, demanding women rights, inclusivity, and action against terrorism.

As against, Russia has hosted Taliban delegations for talks in Moscow and calls for inclusive governance but does not condition engagement as strictly as the US. Russia did not officially recognize the Taliban either, but it was more flexible in diplomacy.

Strategic Interests

The US claims, to that many do not agree, that the super power is busy in global fight against terrorism and avoids getting entangled again in the Afghan conflict. Since withdrawal of troops the US has kept Taliban under pressure through sanctions and diplomatic isolation, including freezing foreign exchange reserves of Afghanistan.

The prime Russian interest is, ending US hegemony in the region. It also wants to protect its interests in Central Asia (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan). On top of all Russia seems to be keen in developing regional alliances that include Taliban as a reality, not a pariah.

Over the decades, the United States has maintained its hegemony through regional alliances, working closely under the NATO umbrella. The US policy towards Taliban is part of a broader Western approach tied to liberal values and counterterrorism.

Realizing its limitations Russia works closely with China, Iran, Central Asian republics. It often coordinates with anti-Western powers and is less constrained by democratic or human rights norms.

To get control over countries two of the world’s largest super powers, the United States as well as Russia have often used arsenal power. As against this China has used diplomacy and economic assistance to establish its influence.

During the election campaign Donald Trump had promised to pull the United States out of wars, but his unconditional support to Israeli genocide in Gaza and direct attacks on Iran prove he is also the tout of military complexes and would never like to end wars where the United States is involved directly or indirectly.

 

Russia becomes first country to recognize Taliban government of Afghanistan

Russia said on Thursday it had accepted the credentials of a new ambassador of Afghanistan, making it the first nation to recognize the Taliban government of the country, reports Reuters.

In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow saw good prospects to develop ties and would continue to support Kabul in security, counter-terrorism and combating drug crime.

It also saw significant trade and economic opportunities, especially in energy, transport, agriculture and infrastructure

"We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields," the ministry said.

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said in a statement, "We value this courageous step taken by Russia, and, God willing, it will serve as an example for others as well."

No other country has formally recognized the Taliban government that seized power in August 2021 as US-led forces staged a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.

China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Pakistan have all designated ambassadors to Kabul, in a step towards recognition.

The Russian move represents a major milestone for the Taliban administration as it seeks to ease its international isolation.

It is likely to be closely watched by Washington, which has frozen billions in Afghanistan's central bank assets and enforced sanctions on some senior leaders in the Taliban that contributed to Afghanistan's banking sector being largely cut off from the international financial system.

Russia has been gradually building relations with the Taliban, which President Vladimir Putin said last year was now an ally in fighting terrorism. Since 2022, Afghanistan has imported gas, oil and wheat from Russia.

The Taliban was outlawed by Russia as a terrorist movement in 2003, but the ban was lifted in April this year. Russia sees a need to work with Kabul as it faces a major security threat from Islamist militant groups based in a string of countries from Afghanistan to the Middle East.

In March 2024, gunmen killed 149 people at a concert hall outside Moscow in an attack claimed by Islamic State. US officials said they had intelligence indicating it was the Afghan branch of the group, Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), that was responsible.

The Taliban says it is working to wipe out the presence of Islamic State in Afghanistan.

Soviet troops invaded the country in December 1979 to prop up a Communist government, but became bogged down in a long war against mujahideen fighters armed by the United States.

Zionists start anti Mamdani propaganda

Zionists have started anti Zohran Mamdani propaganda. He is the winner of the Democratic mayoral primary and expected to be the next mayor of New York City.

Zionists have started raising concerns that his victory could seriously impact support for Israel and its lifesaving organizations.

It is being said that Mamdani has made his agenda unmistakably clear, he’s not just critical of Israel, he’s working to punish anyone who supports it.

Zionists claim that among the most alarming signs is a bill Mamdani introduced that would fine synagogues and Jewish nonprofits at least US$ one million simply for donating to Israeli organizations like Zaka, United Hatzalah, and the One Israel Fund.

They claim it is a direct attack on the Jewish community’s right to give, to support, and to stand in solidarity with Israel during times of crisis.

Zaka considers itself to be Mamdani’s targets. It claims to be an emergency response organization that shows up when tragedy strikes - rescuing the injured, honoring the dead, and comforting the broken.

It claims to have responded to terror attacks, disasters, and car crashes across Israel, giving every victim the dignity they deserve and saving as many lives as it can. “This kind of sacred work would be seen as punishable is shocking, but it’s real”.

Even though the bill hasn’t passed, Mamdani’s actions signal a chilling future, where political power is used to silence support for Israel, and where organizations like Zaka could be cut off from the communities that sustain them.

 

Dark Day for Independent Journalism

US Sen. Bernie Sanders warned Wednesday that Paramount Global's decision to settle President Donald Trump's meritless lawsuit sets "an extremely dangerous precedent" that could further enable authoritarian attacks on press freedom, reports Common Dreams.

"Paramount's decision will only embolden Trump to continue attacking, suing, and intimidating the media, which he has labeled 'the enemy of the people,'" Sanders said following news that Paramount agreed to pay US$16 million to settle Trump's suit over the media organization's handling of a "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election.

"It is a dark day for independent journalism and freedom of the press—an essential part of our democracy. It is a victory for a president who is attempting to stifle dissent and undermine American democracy," Sanders continued. "Make no mistake about it. Trump is undermining our democracy and rapidly moving us towards authoritarianism, and the billionaires who care more about their stock portfolios than our democracy are helping him do it."

The senator accused Paramount of caving to Trump to help grease the federal approval process for the company's pending merger with Skydance. As part of the deal, Paramount chair Shari Redstone agreed to sell her family's company, National Amusements—which controls nearly 80% of Paramount voting stock—for US$2.4 billion.

"In other words," Sanders said Wednesday, "the Redstone family diminished the freedom of the press today in exchange for a US$2.4 billion payday."

Sen. Elizabeth Warren joined Sanders in condemning the settlement and called for a "full investigation into whether or not any anti-bribery laws were broken."

"The Trump administration's level of sheer corruption is appalling," said Warren, "and Paramount should be ashamed of putting its profits over independent journalism."

The Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF), a Paramount shareholder that has threatened to sue the company if it settled the Trump suit, said Wednesday that the deal "will be remembered as one of the most shameful capitulations by the press to a president in history."

"Paramount's spineless decision to settle Trump's baseless and patently unconstitutional lawsuit is an insult to the journalists of '60 Minutes' and an invitation to Trump to continue targeting other news outlets," said Seth Stern, FPF's director of advocacy. "Each time a company cowers and surrenders to Trump's demands only emboldens him to do it again."

"But we are not done fighting," Stern said. "We've already filed a shareholder information demand and are sending a second demand today to uncover information about this decision. With that information, we will continue to pursue our legal options to stop this affront to Paramount shareholders, CBS journalists, and the First Amendment. Paramount directors should be held accountable, and we will do all we can to make that happen."

 

Trump lifts sanctions on Syria

According to media reports, President Donald Trump signed on Monday an executive order terminating a US sanctions program on Syria, allowing an end to the country's isolation from the international financial system and building on Washington's pledge to help it rebuild after a devastating civil war.

The White House said the administration would continue to monitor Syria's progress on key priorities including "taking concrete steps toward normalizing ties with Israel, addressing foreign terrorists, deporting Palestinian terrorists and banning Palestinian terrorist groups."

The move will allow the US to maintain sanctions on Syria's ousted former president Bashar al-Assad, his associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, people linked to chemical weapons activities, the Islamic State and ISIS affiliates and proxies for Iran, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters in a briefing.

Assad was toppled in December 2024 in a lightning offensive by Islamist-led rebels and Syria has since taken steps to re-establish international ties.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said Trump's termination of the Syria sanctions program would "open door of long-awaited reconstruction and development."

He said the move would "lift the obstacle" against economic recovery and open the country to the international community.

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Trump met in Riyadh in May where, in a major policy shift, Trump unexpectedly announced he would lift US sanctions on Syria, prompting Washington to significantly ease its measures.

Some in Congress are pushing for the measures to be totally repealed, while Europe has announced the end of its economic sanctions regime.

"Syria needs to be given a chance, and that's what's happened," US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack told reporters in a briefing call. He described Monday's move as "the culmination of a very tedious, detailed, excruciating process of, how do you unwrap these sanctions."

The White House in a fact sheet said the order directs the Secretary of State to review the terrorism designations of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a rebel group that Sharaa led that has roots in al Qaeda, as well as Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

 

Hundreds of families displaced by Israeli air strikes on Gaza

According to media reports, Israel has carried out a wave of air strikes across the Gaza Strip, triggering displacement of hundreds of Palestinian families. The bombardment follows one of the largest evacuation orders issued since the war resumed in March. It comes amid increasing pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refocus efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement.

Residents in Gaza City said dozens of Israeli air raids targeted densely populated eastern neighborhoods, including Shujaiya, Tuffah, and Zeitoun. Videos posted by activists on social media captured scenes of chaos and explosions illuminating the night sky, followed by flames and thick plumes of smoke rising above the skyline.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had earlier ordered residents to leave large parts of northern Gaza, in anticipation of the attacks. Most of those displaced overnight moved westwards within Gaza City rather than to the southern region as instructed by the IDF.

"We had no choice but to leave everything behind," said Abeer Talba, a mother of seven who fled Zeitoun with her family.

"We got phone calls recordings in Arabic telling us we were in a combat zone and must evacuate immediately.

"This is the seventh time we've been forced to flee," she added. "We're in the streets again, no food, no water. My children are starving. Death feels kinder than this."

Amid the growing humanitarian crisis, fears are mounting that the evacuation orders and sustained air strikes are part of a broader Israeli plan to expand its ground offensive deeper into Gaza.

But there is also speculation in Israeli media that some generals are close to concluding that military operations in Gaza are near to being achieved.

That is also the view of many former army leaders who fear that the descent of the Gaza campaign into more attritional, guerilla-style warfare would lead to more deaths – of hostages, civilians and soldiers.

The Israeli prime minister's next moves are being closely watched. While Benjamin Netanyahu's instincts have always been to continue the war and defeat Hamas, he is coming under increasing pressure at home and abroad to pursue a new ceasefire agreement.

US must promise not to attack Iran before talks begin

The United States must rule out any further strikes on Iran if it wants to resume diplomatic talks, Tehran's deputy foreign minister told the BBC.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi says the Trump administration has told Iran through mediators it wants to return to negotiations, but had "not made their position clear" on the "very important question" of further attacks while talks are taking place.

Israel's military operation, which began in the early hours of June 13, scuppered a sixth round of mainly indirect talks set to take place in Muscat two days later.

The US became directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran last weekend when it targeted three Iranian nuclear sites in a bombing raid.

Takht-Ravanchi also said Iran will "insist" on being able to enrich uranium for what it says are peaceful purposes, rejecting accusations that Iran was secretly moving towards developing a nuclear bomb.

He said Iran had been "denied access to nuclear material" for its research program so needed "to rely on ourselves".

"The level of that can be discussed, the capacity can be discussed, but to say that you should not have enrichment, you should have zero enrichment, and if do you not agree, we will bomb you — that is the law of the jungle," the deputy foreign minister said.

Israel began its attacks, targeting nuclear and military sites as well as assassinating commanders and scientists, in Iran on June 13, claiming Tehran was close to building a nuclear weapon.

Iran responded by attacking Israel with missiles. Hostilities continued for 12 days, during which the US dropped bombs on three of Iran's nuclear sites: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.

The extent of the damage caused to Iran's nuclear program by US strikes has been unclear, and Takht-Ravanchi said he could not give an exact assessment.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the strikes caused severe but "not total" damage, while US President Donald Trump declared that Iran's nuclear facilities were "totally obliterated".

Grossi also said Iran had the capacity to start enriching uranium again in "a matter of months". In response, Takht-Ravanchi said he did not know if that would be the case.

Iran's relationship with the IAEA has become increasingly strained. On Wednesday, its parliament moved to suspend cooperation with the atomic watchdog, accusing the IAEA of siding with Israel and the US.

Trump has said he would "absolutely" consider bombing Iran again if intelligence found that it could enrich uranium to concerning levels.

Takht-Ravanchi said no date had been agreed upon for a possible return to talks and he did not know what would be on the agenda, after Trump suggested discussions could take place this week.

Iran's deputy foreign minister said "right now we are seeking an answer to this question: are we going to see a repetition of an act of aggression while we are engaging in dialogue?"

He said the US had to be "quite clear on this very important question" and "what they are going to offer us in order to make the necessary confidence required for such a dialogue".

Asked if Iran could consider rethinking its nuclear program as part of any deal, possibly in return for sanctions relief and investment in the country, Takht-Ravanchi asked, "Why should we agree to such a proposal?"

He reiterated that Iran's program, including enriching uranium to 60%, was "for peaceful purposes".

Under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran was not permitted to enrich uranium above 3.67% purity — the level required for fuel for commercial nuclear power plants — and was not allowed to carry out any enrichment at its Fordo plant for 15 years.

However, Trump abandoned the agreement in 2018 during his first term as president, saying it did too little to stop a pathway to a bomb, and reinstated US sanctions.

Iran retaliated by increasingly breaching the restrictions — particularly those relating to enrichment. It resumed enrichment at Fordo in 2021 and had amassed enough 60%-enriched uranium to potentially make nine nuclear bombs, according to the IAEA.

Pressed on European and Western leaders having a lack of trust towards Iran, Takht-Ravanchi accused some European leaders of a "ridiculous" endorsement of US and Israeli strikes.

He said those who are criticizing Iran over its nuclear program "should criticize the way that we have been treated" and criticize the US and Israel.

He added, "And if they do not have the guts to criticize America, they should keep silent, not try to justify the aggression."

Takht-Ravanchi also said Iran had received messages through mediators that the US did "not want to engage in regime change in Iran" by targeting the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on Iranians to "rise for their freedom" to bring down the clerical rule of Khamenei, but, after last week's ceasefire was reached, Trump said he did not want the same.

Takht-Ravanchi insisted it would not happen and the idea "tantamount to a futile exercise".

He said although some Iranians "might have criticism of some actions by the government, when it comes to foreign aggression they would be united to confront it".

The deputy foreign minister said it was "not quite clear" if the ceasefire with Israel would last, but Iran would continue to observe it "as long as there is no military attack against us".

He said Iran's Arab allies in the Arabian Gulf were "doing their best to try to prepare the necessary atmosphere for a dialogue". Qatar is known to have played a key role in brokering the current ceasefire.

He added, "We do not want war. We want to engage in dialogue and diplomacy, but we have to be prepared, we have to be cautious, not to be surprised again."

Iran could resume Uranium enrichment within months after US strikes

Iran could restart uranium enrichment "in a matter of months" following recent US airstrikes on its nuclear facilities, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned, signaling that the damage inflicted by American forces was not sufficient to dismantle Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, reports the Saudi Gazette.

In an interview released Saturday by CBS News, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that despite the scale of the attacks, Iran retains the technological and industrial capacity to resume its nuclear program.

“They can have, in a matter of months, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium or less than that,” Grossi said.

“The damage is severe, but not total.”

On June 22, the United States launched a coordinated assault on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, dropping six bunker-buster bombs on the Fordo nuclear facility and unleashing dozens of cruise missiles on key sites in Natanz and Isfahan.

The operation followed rising tensions between Iran and Israel and was aimed at halting what Washington described as Iran’s expanding nuclear threat.

In the wake of the strikes, US officials have pushed back on reports suggesting the attacks merely delayed Iran’s progress by several months, rather than eliminating it entirely.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi admitted the bombings caused “excessive and serious” damage but insisted that Iran retains core capabilities.

Grossi echoed that concern, saying Iran’s nuclear knowledge and infrastructure cannot be erased.

“You cannot disinvent this,” he noted. “Iran is a very sophisticated country in terms of nuclear technology.”

He also raised alarm over unexplained traces of uranium found at undeclared Iranian sites, saying the IAEA still lacks credible explanations about their origin.

On the issue of Iran’s 408.6-kilogram stockpile of Uranium enriched to 60%, enough to build more than nine nuclear bombs if further enriched, Grossi said, “Some could have been destroyed as part of the attack, but some could have been moved.”

Grossi emphasized the urgency of restoring access for IAEA inspectors, “There has to be at some point a clarification.”

Araghchi announced Saturday that Grossi would be barred from entering Iran, a move swiftly condemned by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called it “a dangerous step toward further nuclear opacity.”

The latest developments come on the heels of a 12-day war between Israel and Iran, which erupted on June 13 after Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian military, nuclear, and civilian sites. Iran’s Health Ministry reported 606 killed and over 5,300 injured.

In response, Tehran launched drone and missile barrages that killed at least 29 people in Israel and wounded more than 3,400, according to figures from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.