In a week where a renewed ceasefire was proclaimed between Israel and Lebanon, a deal that hinges on the complete cessation of attacks from the Iranian backed militants Hezbollah and withdrawal from the south of the country.
24 hours later however, Hezbollah rejected the agreement that is closely tied to the wider temperamental talks between Iran and the US, with the Iranian regime threatening to abandon negotiations with Washington over the events in Lebanon and growing occupation by Israeli forces, including the capture of a medieval crusader castle on Sunday.
We heard this week too that President Trump picked up the phone to Benjamin Netanyahu and swore at him, told him to pull back, stop derailing the talks, reportedly adding, “Everybody Hates you now”.
It’s been a week that’s seen the passenger terminal at Kuwait international airport come under attack with one person killed, dozens injured and the building evacuated. Iranian drones also targeted the naval base of the US fifth fleet HQ in Bahrain almost 100 days into a war President Trump said would last 4-6 weeks.
Iran claimed its latest attacks were in retaliation for US attacks on Queshm Island where the Regime’s Revolutionary Guard Corp are known to have extensive tunnels with drones, anti-ship missiles and launching facilities. Growing signs of discontent were showing in the US as the House of Representatives passed a non-binding vote for President Trump to bring back US forces from the region or get approval from Congress to continue the conflict ..four Republicans sided with the Democrats:
It’s been a week that’s seen Ukraine make an unwelcome appearance at the opening of Russia’s World Economic Forum in St Petersburg, drones setting the port’s oil terminal and a nearby warship on fire as it underwent maintenance, just hours before President Putin played host in the city to representatives of 130 countries with 20 delegates that included a US representative for the first time in years, delaying Russia’s version of Davos.
Meanwhile the ferocity of Moscow’s aerial campaign against Ukraine has not let up. The Institute for the Study of War says recent Ukrainian counterattacks, “are generating tactical, operational and strategic effects that could disrupting Russia’s summer offensive”. Speaking in Kyiv this week the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed the casualties for Moscow were historic:
It’s been a week where details of the shocking treatment by British Police of a dying teenage victim were made public, and it led to protests and political fever pitch. This is the case of 18 year old student Henry Novak who was murdered as he walked in a Southampton street. The killer, Vickrum Digwa, a weapons obsessive, lied to police when they arrived, falsely accusing Henry of racism. The officers’ body cams show Henry asking for help, but they handcuffed him as he lay dying. There have been violent demonstrations in Southampton, Britain’s populist opposition leader Nigel Farage called for people to respond with pure cold rage. The world’s richest man, Elon Musk amplified the anger on X claiming British officers were required to discriminate against white people. Sir Keir Starmer told Musk to stop interfering and whipping up division. Outside court, Henry’s father urged people not to use his son’s death to promote hatred, and, that he was haunted by his son’s final moments..
And a week away from the World Cup teams have been arriving in the US, Mexico and Canada where its being held this year. The Brazilian plane was said to have been sprayed with holy water as it touched down in New Jersey, The South African squad were met by a Mexican Mariachi band in Pachuca, and Cape Verde’s team had a sing and a dance on the plane as they arrived in Boston.
Produced by Gavin Lee, Maya Yataghene, Alessandro Xenos and Daniel Whittington
