Why Congress has closed early for summer amid Trump-Epstein discourse
Johnson accused Democrats of weaponising the Rules process, while this action occurred amidst ongoing criticism of Donald Trump's handling of promised Epstein file disclosures.
The procedural halt risks the House's ability to pass crucial spending bills before the August recess, potentially leading to a government shutdown upon their return.
Republicans faced disarray following a Justice Department memo stating no further Epstein disclosure was warranted and a report alleging a birthday card from Donald Trump to Epstein, which Donald Trump denied and sued over.
A bipartisan discharge petition, led by Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, is gaining traction to force a floor vote on the Epstein files, bypassing committee processes, with the vote expected in September after the recess.
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Scottish Sun
27 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Scale of Gaza hunger is seen from space as satellite pics show crowd surround aid trucks after UN declares famine
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE hunger crisis spreading across Gaza can now be seen from space in gut-wrenching satellite images. Thousands of starving Palestinians can be seen crowding around aid trucks begging for food in the war-torn Strip. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 The hunger crisis spreading across Gaza can now be seen from space in gut-wrenching satellite images Credit: AFP 8 Thousands of starving Palestinians can be seen crowding around aid trucks begging for food Credit: AFP 8 Palestinians seizing trucks carrying flour as they entered Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip Credit: Shutterstock Editorial The pictures were taken before the United Nations warned of a serious famine being created in Hamas territory. Images from the south of the Strip show civilians gathering around 15 lorries which were all sent into Gaza filled with food. Away from the surging crowds sits evidence of the gruelling conditions in which Palestinians have been living in for just under two years now. Makeshift tents and crumbling buildings are spread across the Strip with a ceasefire deal with Hamas thugs and Israeli forces yet to be agreed. Global leaders, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump, have said a peace deal must be made to save those living under the awful conditions. The calls for a ceasefire have been amplified in recent days after the global body responsible for monitoring hunger warned Gazans are now experiencing the "worst-case scenario of famine". The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an initiative made up of 21 aid groups, governments and UN agencies, announced: "Mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths." Famine has not yet been confirmed in the region with the IPC still trying to ascertain all the facts on the ground. They will need to prove at least 20 per cent of Gaza's 2.1 million population - 420,000 people - are experiencing an "extreme" lack of food. More than 30 per cent of children under five also have to be suffering from acute malnutrition with at least two people per 10,000 dying from starvation per day. Israel to allow foreign aid to parachute into Gaza but continues bombardment despite growing global pleas for ceasefire In July, at least 63 people, including 24 children under five, died from hunger, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Hamas' health ministry claims 127 people have died from a lack of food since Israel launched a counter attack inside Gaza following October 7. It alleges at least a third of them are children. The scale of hunger comes after Israel accused Hamas of treating civilians in the Strip as pawns and human shields. Israel has also claimed the terrorists are stealing food from aid trucks. Earlier this month, 20 people were killed at an aid distribution site in Gaza after a "chaotic and dangerous" crowd surge. The US and Israel-backed GHF said it believed the harrowing push was "driven by agitators in the crowd" who were affiliated to Hamas. Harrowing scenes also saw Palestinian people overrun food trucks carrying aid into Gaza. Distressing footage shared by Turkish news site TRT shows a sea of starving Gazans desperately climbing onto vehicles to reach food. 8 Carrying pots in their hands, Palestinians struggle to access food as a charity distributes meals in Gaza City Credit: Getty 8 The harrowing moment starving Palestinian people overrun food trucks carrying aid Credit: X 8 Humanitarian aid packages are airdropped over the Gaza Strip Credit: Reuters Some individuals appear to manage to grab boxes of aid, while other malnourished people seem to scramble to safety due to the heaving crowds. Israel announced a pause in fighting over the weekend and have started to allow food to be air dropped into Gaza. They are also working on opening up new supply corridors for aid workers to safely deliver food. Military operations will be halted for 10 hours each day as officials look to establish the new designated humanitarian aid corridors. It comes as Trump has revealed he has a mystery plan with Israel to end the war in Gaza and announced a mission to get aid to starving Palestinians. The US President vowed to set up food centres across Gaza - insisting: "We want to get the children fed." He described the scenes as "terrible" - adding: "We have to help on a humanitarian basis. He also distanced himself from comments made by Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who insisted there was no starvation in Gaza. Netanyahu had said on Sunday: "There is no policy of starvation in Gaza and there is no starvation in Gaza." Asked if he agreed with the Israeli PM, Trump said: "I don't know. I mean, based on television, I would say not, particularly because those children look very hungry." 8 Smoke rises after an explosion in Gaza Credit: Reuters
Daily Mirror
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Keir Starmer says UK is ready to recognise Palestine unless Israel takes action
Keir Starmer summoned the Cabinet on Tuesday to discuss Gaza Britain is prepared to recognise the state of Palestine in September unless Israel agrees a ceasefire in Gaza, Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister said the Palestinian people have "endured terrible suffering" with "catastrophic failure of aid" in a statement from Downing Street. He added: "We see starving babies, children too weak to stand, images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end." It came as the Prime Minister held an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss a peace plan for the region. He had summoned ministers back from the summer recess to discuss the proposals, which have been shared with France, Germany and US President Donald Trump. Downing Street said the PM "opened by saying that he had called the meeting to address the situation in Gaza which was getting more desperate by the day". On recognition of the state of Palestine, No10 added: "He said that because of the increasingly intolerable situation in Gaza and the diminishing prospect of a peace process towards a Two State Solution, now was the right time to move this position forward. "He said that the UK will recognise the state of Palestine in September, before UNGA, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a Two State Solution. " Over 250 MPs from across the Commons have signed a letter last week calling on the government to recognise a Palestinian state immediately. Last week the French President Emmanuel Macron said his government would do so at a meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York in September. But Mr Trump shot back, telling reporters at the White House last week: "What he says doesn't matter.... he's a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight." * This is a breaking news story. Follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , Twitter , Facebook or visit The Mirror homepage. We'll be bringing you the latest updates on this Breaking Politics News story. Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story HERE. Get email updates on the day's biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters . Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by following The Mirror every time you see our name. Join The Mirror's WhatsApp Community - CLICK HERE Follow The Mirror on Google News - CLICK HERE and click the star Follow The Mirror on Apple News - CLICK HERE available on Apple devices Follow The Mirror on Flipboard - CLICK HERE and click follow You can sign up for Twitter alerts for breaking news here @MirrorBreaking_ and follow us for all the latest updates. Keep up-to-date with your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day by following us on Facebook at . See all our social accounts you can follow here:
Reuters
28 minutes ago
- Reuters
FEMA to require states use terrorism prevention funds for migrant arrests
WASHINGTON, July 29 (Reuters) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency will require states to spend part of their federal terrorism prevention funds on helping the Trump administration arrest migrants, as part of the U.S. president's transformation of the agency. This is latest example of the Trump administration tying its goal to arrest migrants to federal funding for states. States must spend at least 10% of their funds from the Homeland Security Grant Program on enforcing immigration laws 'against all inadmissible and removable aliens,' according to an agency announcement. They can use it for tasks that support President Donald Trump's executive order, opens new tab on immigration, including to construct detention facilities or set up partnerships between police officers and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to the post. States have until Aug. 11 to apply for their portion of $373.3 million, according to the post. Congress established the Homeland Security Grant Program before Trump took office to help states prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks. All 50 states receive the funds annually. In the past, they have used the money to buy security cameras, firefighting foam equipment and computers, among other needs, according to statements from state officials. Reuters asked the White House press office whether Congress intended the funds be spent on migrant arrests. The office referred Reuters to FEMA.
