Is the mere announcement of a Trump-Putin Meeting enough to delay sanctions on Russia?
07/08/2025
'Wildfires in south of France becoming more widespread, challenging to manage over past 10-15 years'
Europe
07/08/2025
'Highest tariffs since Great Depression': In 1930's, trade plummeted and global depression deepened
Americas
07/08/2025
'Plastic pollution really begins when we're making plastics and extracting oil, gas from the ground'
Environment
07/08/2025
EU faces major export decline amid sluggish growth in key member states
Americas
06/08/2025
Failing to tackle climate change will mean more wildfires ahead
Environment
06/08/2025
Italy approves $15.5B plan for longest suspension bridge to Sicily
Europe
06/08/2025
Nuclear weapons states no longer respect 'legal commitment to non-proliferation treaty'
Asia / Pacific
06/08/2025
'The memories of the horrors of nuclear war and radiation seem to be lost on today's leaders'
Asia / Pacific
06/08/2025
US envoy Witkoff meets Putin as Trump's sanctions deadline nears
Europe
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LeMonde
23 minutes ago
- LeMonde
US tacitly supports Israel's plan to take control of Gaza Strip
For US President Donald Trump, it's up to Israel to decide what to do next in Gaza − meaning Washington is offering quiet support for its ally's plans to expand the offensive in the war-wracked Palestinian territory. While numerous European and Arab capitals urged Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, August 8, to reconsider his decision to "take control" of Gaza City, Trump this week has effectively given the Israeli prime minister free rein − even if it means pushback from the international community. After nearly two years of devastating conflict, Israel's security cabinet approved Netanyahu's plan to "defeat" Hamas, which triggered the war with its October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. Before Israel's announcement, when asked if he could support such a plan, Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he was focused on securing an increase in the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza to help starving Palestinians. "As far as the rest of it, I really, I really can't say − that's going to be pretty much up to Israel," Trump said. Then on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed that position, telling Catholic TV network EWTN, "Ultimately, what Israel needs to do for Israel's security will be determined by Israel." Trump and Rubio's comments speak volumes about the US strategy: Since Israel-Hamas talks on a ceasefire in Gaza fell apart, Washington has broadly embraced Israel's views following US envoy Steve Witkoff's visit last week. Details of Witkoff's meeting with Netanyahu have not been made public, but it is hard to imagine that Trump's emissary was not briefed on Israel's plans. While Washington has amped up the pressure on Israel to allow more aid into the Gaza Strip, it has also insisted that all Israeli hostages − dead or alive − be freed from Hamas captivity and has also called for the complete annihilation of the militant group. "Our goals are very clear," US Vice President JD Vance said Friday during talks with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. "We want to make it so that Hamas cannot attack innocent Israeli civilians ever again, and we think that has to come through the eradication of Hamas." Partner service Learn French with Gymglish Thanks to a daily lesson, an original story and a personalized correction, in 15 minutes per day. Try for free Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has offered Israel ironclad support, even while pushing for better humanitarian support. He seemed to throw in the towel on securing a ceasefire following repeated failed efforts at mediation, especially after talks crumbled late last month in Doha when Hamas refused a deal to free the hostages. Hamas still has 49 Israeli hostages who were abducted during the October 2023 attack, 27 of whom are presumed dead. Capitulation The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee − who is prone to making eyebrow-raising statements − slammed all criticism of Israel's plans for Gaza. "So Israel is expected to surrender to Hamas & feed them even though Israeli hostages are being starved?" Huckabee wrote on social media. "Did UK surrender to Nazis and drop food to them?" he said in response to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called Netanyahu's approach "wrong." In his interview with EWTN, Rubio said "as long as Hamas exists, particularly exists as an armed organization, there will never be peace in Gaza." Rubio said he understood why the famine facing Palestinians in the territory was getting "almost all the media coverage" but lamented what he called a lack of attention to the plight of the remaining Israeli hostages. In recent weeks, Washington has sharply criticized international initiatives to formally recognize a Palestinian state, led notably by French President Emmanuel Macron, warning that it emboldens Hamas not to give up.
France 24
24 minutes ago
- France 24
US offering Israel tacit support on Gaza plan
While numerous European and Arab capitals urged Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to reconsider his decision to "take control" of Gaza City, Trump this week has effectively given the Israeli prime minister free rein -- even if it means pushback from the international community. After nearly two years of devastating conflict, Israel's security cabinet approved Netanyahu's plan to "defeat" Hamas, which triggered the war with its October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. Before Israel's announcement, when asked if he could support such a plan, Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he was focused on securing an increase in the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza to help starving Palestinians. "As far as the rest of it, I really, I really can't say -- that's going to be pretty much up to Israel," Trump said. Then on Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed that position, telling Catholic TV network EWTN, "Ultimately, what Israel needs to do for Israel's security will be determined by Israel." Trump and Rubio's comments speak volumes about the US strategy: since Israel-Hamas talks on a ceasefire in Gaza fell apart, Washington has broadly embraced Israel's views following US envoy Steve Witkoff's visit last week. Details of Witkoff's meeting with Netanyahu have not been made public, but it is hard to imagine that Trump's emissary was not briefed on Israel's plans. While Washington has amped up the pressure on Israel to allow more aid into the Gaza Strip, it has also insisted that all Israeli hostages -- dead or alive -- be freed from Hamas captivity and the complete annihilation of the militant group. "Our goals are very clear," US Vice President JD Vance said Friday during talks with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. "We want to make it so that Hamas cannot attack innocent Israeli civilians ever again, and we think that has to come through the eradication of Hamas." Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has offered Israel ironclad support, even while pushing for better humanitarian support. He seemed to throw in the towel on securing a ceasefire following repeated failed efforts at mediation, especially after talks crumbled late last month in Doha when Hamas refused a deal to free the hostages. Hamas still has 49 Israeli hostages abducted during the October 2023 attack, 27 of whom are presumed dead. Capitulation The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee -- who is prone to making eyebrow-raising statements -- slammed all criticism of Israel's plans for Gaza. "So Israel is expected to surrender to Hamas & feed them even though Israeli hostages are being starved?" Huckabee wrote on social media. "Did UK surrender to Nazis and drop food to them?" he said in response to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called Netanyahu's approach "wrong." In his interview with EWTN, Rubio said "as long as Hamas exists, particularly exists as an armed organization, there will never be peace in Gaza." Rubio said he understood why the famine facing Palestinians in the territory was getting "almost all the media coverage" but lamented what he called a lack of attention to the plight of the remaining Israeli hostages. In recent weeks, Washington has sharply criticized international initiatives to formally recognize a Palestinian state, led notably by French President Emmanuel Macron, warning that it emboldens Hamas not to give up.
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Trump orders Pentagon to target foreign drug cartels
Trump is moving to target Latin American drug cartels with the military, US media said Friday, after Washington designated several narcotics trafficking groups as "terrorist" organisations earlier this year. The New York Times reported that Trump has directed the Pentagon to begin using military force against cartels that were deemed terrorist organisations, while the Wall Street Journal said the president ordered the Defense Department to prepare options to do so. The Journal said the use of special forces and the provision of intelligence support were among the options under discussion, and that any action would be coordinated with foreign partners. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum insisted following the reports on Friday that there would be "no invasion of Mexico". Trump vowed in March to "wage war" on Mexico's drug cartels, which he accused of rape and murder as well as "posing a grave threat" to national security. The month before, the United States designated Venezuela 's Tren de Aragua, Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel and six other drug trafficking groups with Latin American roots as "global terrorist" organisations. Trump's administration has since added another Venezuelan gang, the Cartel of the Suns, which has shipped hundreds of tons of narcotics into the United States over two decades. Trump signed an executive order on January 20, his first day back in the White House, creating a process for such designations, saying the cartels "constitute a national-security threat beyond that posed by traditional organised crime."
