André Rhoden-Paul

Jared Kushner described a nearly four-hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as very good, seeking to revive a stalled US-backed Gaza peace plan. Netanyahu insists Hamas must be completely disarmed before Israeli forces withdraw or Gaza reconstruction begins, while Hamas has agreed to surrender weapons in exchange for a phased withdrawal. Proposed working groups would address disarmament, demilitarisation, sanitation and clean water, but disagreements remain over weapons disposal, international monitoring and the roles of Turkey and Qatar. The talks come amid continuing strikes, political pressure on Netanyahu and severe humanitarian losses in Gaza.

Jared Kushner held nearly four hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after meeting Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Egypt, seeking to revive Donald Trump's stalled Gaza peace plan. Kushner said the Netanyahu meeting was productive and suggested progress on removing Hamas's weapons could begin within 30 days, but Israel insists that Hamas fully disarm before any troop withdrawal or Gaza reconstruction. Hamas has agreed to surrender its weapons in exchange for a phased Israeli withdrawal, while disputes remain over the destruction of surrendered weapons and the role of Turkey and Qatar in monitoring compliance. The Board of Peace plans working groups on disarmament, demilitarisation, sanitation and public health, but Netanyahu faces domestic pressure to maintain a tougher Gaza policy. The ceasefire remains in place despite continuing Israeli strikes and allegations of violations by both sides, with substantial casualties and displacement reported in Gaza.

Multiple wildfires swept across the West Midlands during exceptionally hot, dry weather, destroying or damaging homes in Stourbridge, Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Pershore and other areas. In Stourbridge, 19 homes were destroyed and 18 damaged, while dozens of people, firefighters and residents required medical treatment. Several major incidents were declared, and arrests were made on suspicion of arson. Fire services continued extinguishing hotspots and dampening affected areas. Officials and researchers linked the rapid spread to tinder-dry vegetation, human ignition sources and increasingly severe heat and drought conditions associated with climate change. Homeowners were advised to contact insurers or local authorities for assistance.

Multiple wildfires swept across the West Midlands during the UK’s hottest day of the year, destroying homes, forcing evacuations and prompting major-incident declarations. Stourbridge was among the worst-hit areas, with 19 homes destroyed and 18 damaged; fires also affected Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Willenhall, Pershore and other locations. Fifty-four people were treated by paramedics and 19 were taken to hospital, while firefighters also suffered injuries and smoke inhalation. Police arrested suspects on suspicion of arson in Staffordshire and Birmingham. Authorities attributed the rapid spread to exceptionally hot, dry conditions and tinder-dry vegetation, while researchers linked the heightened wildfire risk to repeated heatwaves and climate change. Homeowners were advised to contact insurers or local authorities for assistance, and significant fires continued elsewhere in England and Wales.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley admitted that officers made a mistake by investigating Times Higher Education journalist Jack Grove after he contacted Cambridge professor Jason Arday about plagiarism allegations. Rowley said the complaint should have been screened out and that police should not have warned Grove against further contact. The investigation was later closed. Arday resigned from Cambridge amid renewed scrutiny of alleged plagiarism and other claims, while denying plagiarism and saying his resignation should not be viewed as accepting the accusations. Cambridge and Jesus College have launched investigations, while Liverpool John Moores University previously examined the allegations without upholding them. The case has also prompted debate about racial representation, academic standards and the treatment of Black academics.

A lottery player in Bitonto, southern Italy, accidentally discarded a €1m winning ticket after a shop’s system reported that the prize could not be paid there. Waste workers located the bin lorry before its contents reached landfill and spent two days searching through the refuse, eventually recovering the mostly intact ticket. The winner will cover the recovery costs, while the waste company’s director, Roberto Nicola Toscano, said workers later won €50 on a scratch card bought as a joke.

Egyptian authorities have arrested several people accused of posing as judges and defrauding citizens by claiming they could secure government housing. The alleged gang reportedly staged court scenes, filmed and posted material on social media, and used a firearm, judicial sash and fake identity cards to appear credible. The main suspects, an unemployed man and a student from Cairo and Giza, were detained, while several court employees were also questioned and suspects were referred for expedited trial.

WHO declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship over after the final exposed contact completed quarantine and tested negative. Thirteen infections and three deaths were attributed to the Andes virus, with more than 650 contacts traced across 33 countries. Health officials emphasized continued monitoring of hantaviruses, noting their ongoing public health risk in South America. Symptoms, transmission routes, and the lengthy isolation period were outlined, and passengers ultimately disembarked in Tenerife before returning home.

WHO declared the cruise‑ship‑linked hantavirus outbreak over after the final exposed contact completed quarantine and tested negative. Thirteen people were infected and three died from the Andes virus strain, with more than 650 contacts traced across 33 countries. The ship had departed Argentina, and early cases had travelled through multiple South American countries where the virus‑carrying rodent species is present. WHO officials warned that Andes and other hantaviruses remain a public‑health risk requiring continued monitoring and preparedness.