News of the World
Yesterday, 12:44 AM
USA
Quote:On Monday, President Donald Trump told reporters that his name may have been planted in the Jeffrey Epstein files by former Attorney General Merrick Garland or former FBI director James Comey.
Trump was asked in Turnberry, Scotland, "You had said you had not been briefed that your name was in the Epstein files, doesn't the AG have to tell you?"
The president responded, in part, "Well, I haven't been overly interested in it. It's a hoax that's been built up by those, way beyond proportion. Those files were run by the worst scum on earth. They were run by Comey, they were run by Garland, they were run by Biden. Those files were run for four years by those people."
"The whole thing is a hoax. They ran the files. I was running against somebody that ran the files. If they had something they would have released."
Trump also referenced discredited and uncorroborated claims in the Steele dossier, a collection of unverified intelligence reports compiled in 2016 by former British spy Christopher Steele. Commissioned as opposition research during the presidential election, the dossier contains allegations about Trump's ties to Russia, including claims of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, as well as salacious and compromising personal material.
He continued, "Now, they can easily put something in the files that's a phony. As an example, Christopher Steele, wrote a book, we call the 'fake news dossier.' The whole thing was a fake. The whole thing was a fake. They can put things in the file that was a fake. Those files were run by sick, sick people."
Trump was also asked again Monday about the possibility of pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell, reiterating that he is "allowed" to do so. Maxwell, a close associate of Epstein, the late financier and convicted child sex offender, was convicted of child sex trafficking in 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
"Well, I'm allowed to give her a pardon, but nobody's approached me with it, nobody's asked me about it," Trump told reporters when asked about the possibility. "It's in the news about that—that aspect of it, but right now it would be inappropriate to talk about it," he said.
The remark echoed the president's Friday comments, when he told reporters: "It's something I haven't thought about... I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about."
Why It Matters
In recent weeks, Trump has struggled to shift the conversation from the Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who authorities said died by suicide behind bars in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The president has faced pressure from his supporters to release the government's files about Epstein, which they believe will reveal a cover-up in the case to protect Epstein's wealthy and powerful friends.
Donald Trump Reveals Why He Kicked Jeffrey Epstein Out of Mar-a-Lago
Trump was also asked about reports that he kicked Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
The president said, in part, "For years I wouldn't talk to Jeffrey Epstein. He did something that was inappropriate. He hired help, and I said don't ever do that again. He stole people that worked for me. And he did it again, and I threw him out of the place, persona non grata, and that was it. I'm glad I did if you want to know the truth."
Quote:Ghislaine Maxwell has filed a reply with the U.S. Supreme Court, urging the justices to grant certiorari to review the scope of Jeffrey Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement.
Her petition raises two key questions: Did Epstein's deal bind federal prosecutors nationwide, and does it shield Maxwell from prosecution?
Ghislaine Maxwell Appeal: What To Know
Maxwell, a close associate of Epstein, the late financier and convicted child sex offender, was convicted of child sex trafficking and transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity in 2021. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Maxwell filed a petition for a writ of certiorari to the Court in April and filed a reply in support of the petition on Monday.
David Oscar Markus and Mona Markus, attorneys for Maxwell, said in the filing that Maxwell should not have been prosecuted, even though she is not named in the non-prosecution agreement.
"Whether or not this was wise, it was the deal, and Petitioner is entitled to enforce it," the attorneys wrote.
Lawyers for the U.S. government said Maxwell was not a party to this agreement in a brief filed July 14.
"There is no evidence that the parties to the NPA intended for the coconspirators clause to benefit petitioner," Solicitor General D. John Sauer, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti and attorney Ethan A. Sachs wrote in the filing.
The government said the only parties to the agreement were Epstein and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Florida.
"Even if the Florida USAO had purported to bind all other USAOs in the NPA, it would have lacked authority to do so," Sauer, Galeotti and Sachs wrote.
Maxwell's attorneys challenged the government's argument in the reply filed Monday.
"It is not geographically limited to the Southern District of Florida, it is not conditioned on the co-conspirators being known by the government at the time, it does not depend on what any particular government attorney may have had in his or her head about who might be a co-conspirator, and it contains no other caveat or exception," David Oscar Markus and Mona Markus wrote.
The Court has yet to decide whether it will hear Maxwell's appeal.
Quote:Elon Musk has weighed in on the possibility of President Donald Trump issuing a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
A user on X posted a meme that suggested Trump would pardon Maxwell after she "names a bunch of Democrats" and says Trump "did nothing wrong." Musk responded to the post early Monday with a bull's-eye emoji.
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Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison after being convicted of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. She has appealed her case to the Supreme Court, which has not yet decided whether to take up the case.
Maxwell was questioned by the Department of Justice last week as the Trump administration continues to face pressure to release the government's files on the investigation into Epstein, after the DOJ and FBI said in a July 7 memo that Epstein did not have a list of clients and that no additional records would be released to the public.
Questioned by reporters on Friday, Trump did not rule out the possibility of pardoning Maxwell.
Musk, once a staunch ally of Trump and the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, is among those calling for the release of the files. During his falling out with Trump last month, Musk said without evidence in a since-deleted social media post that the Epstein files had not been released because Trump was in them. The president dismissed that claim, saying he "had nothing to do with it."
What To Know
Trump on Friday deflected reporters' questions about pardoning Maxwell, saying that "I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about."
He spoke as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Maxwell at a Florida federal courthouse for a second day.
Blanche said on social media last week that Maxwell would be interviewed because of Trump's directive to gather and release any credible evidence about others who may have committed crimes.
Maxwell's attorney, David Markus, told reporters that Maxwell answered questions "honestly, truthfully, to the best of her ability."
What People Are Saying
House Speaker Mike Johnson said on NBC's Meet the Press, when asked if he was open to a pardon or commutation for Maxwell: "If you're asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance. I think she should have a life sentence at least.
"I mean, think of all these unspeakable crimes...It's hard to put into words how evil this was, and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing. So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that as any reasonable person would."
Quote:The United States blocked Taiwan's president from making a stopover in New York en route to Central America, The Financial Times reported, citing three people familiar with the matter.
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The reported decision by the Trump administration comes as the U.S. is amid sensitive trade talks with China. Beijing objects to any official U.S. engagement with Taiwanese leadership.
The complex dynamics are amplified by the backdrop of U.S. legislation, like the Taiwan Relations Act, which guides American commitments to Taiwan's security and underpins unofficial commercial ties.
Washington's trading relationship with China, meanwhile, has seen months of turmoil during Trump's repeated tariff threats and disagreements over intellectual property, market access and more.
What To Know
According to FT, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te was planning to stop over in New York in August en route to Paraguay, Guatemala and Belize, all of whom recognize Taiwan's independence. Reuters also reported earlier that Lai had considered stopping in New York and Dallas on the way to Latin America.
But the U.S. told Lai he could not visit New York, FT reported, citing three sources. Lai's office said in a statement Monday that he does not currently have overseas travel plans because he's focusing on ongoing trade discussions with the U.S. and Taiwan's recovery from a typhoon.
Chinese and U.S. officials also met in Stockholm on Monday for trade talks, Reuters reported.
China claims Taiwan, which is democratically governed, as its own territory and regularly rejects any shows of support for Taipei from Washington.
What People Are Saying
A person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters: "There's no such thing as cancelling the trip. In fact, further arrangement for the trip will be made later this year."
Quote:A co-pilot with Delta Air Lines was reportedly arrested by federal agents at San Francisco international airport over the weekend on charges related to child sexual abuse materials, according to a senior official with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and multiple media reports.
The arrest reportedly took place shortly after the flight – Delta Flight 2809 from Minnesota – landed at the California airport at about 9.35pm on Saturday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Several passengers who were on the plane told various media outlets that about 10 law enforcement officers, including agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), boarded the plane before passengers were let off. The agents reportedly arrested and removed one of the co-pilots from the plane.
One passenger told the Chronicle that “a group of people with badges, guns, and different agency vests/markings were pushing their way up through the aisle to the cockpit”.
She said the officers “stormed the cockpit, cuffed the co-pilot, arrested him, walked him down the aisle, and ushered him off the plane through the cabin doors located between first [class] and coach” class.
The same witness said that a second group of officers returned to the aircraft shortly after to retrieve the co-pilot’s belongings.
The pilot has not yet been publicly identified.
In a statement to the Guardian on Monday, a senior DHS official confirmed that HSI agents had arrested the pilot in question on charges pertaining to child sexual abuse materials.
A DHS spokesperson also told the Chronicle on Sunday that the agency assisted local authorities in executing an arrest warrant.
Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin on Sunday cited a senior federal source who said that the co-pilot had been taken into custody by HSI on allegations involving child sexual abuse materials.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, Delta Air Lines said: “Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful conduct and will fully cooperate with law enforcement. We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest and the individual in question has been suspended pending an investigation.”
Quote:Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Monday that during the past six months it has arrested 214 migrants without legal status in the Houston area who have been charged with or convicted of sex crimes involving minors.
Why It Matters
The arrests, carried out by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Houston field office, surpasses the total number of similar arrests made during the entire 2024 fiscal year, when officers arrested 211 people in the same category, ICE said.
What To Know
The people arrested were all found to have either pending charges or prior convictions related to child sex offenses, according to a press release issued by ICE.
"While we still have a long way to go to truly get this crisis under control, the strides we have made in just six months to make our local communities safer are substantial, and our officers continue to work tirelessly every day to get the worst of the worst criminal aliens out of Southeast Texas to return our communities to places we can all enjoy," ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Paul McBride said.
Among those were apprehended was Jesus Gutierrez Mireles, 67, a Mexican national who had been deported from the U.S. three times, who was arrested on March 28. He had been convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child and driving while intoxicated. He was deported to Mexico on April 4.
Jorge Zebra, 48, also a Mexican national, was arrested on March 21. He had been convicted of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor and one count of indecency with a minor. He was removed to Mexico on March 24.
Manuel Antonio Castro-Juarez, 37, a Salvadoran national who had been deported twice, was arrested on July 18. He had prior convictions for sexual assault of a minor and illegal reentry. Castro-Juarez remains in ICE custody pending removal to El Salvador.
Jose Guadalupe Meza, 40, a Mexican national deported four times, was arrested on June 24. He had been convicted of theft and sexual assault of a child. He was deported to Mexico on June 25.
Sergio Rolando Galvan Guerrero, 45, also from Mexico and previously deported three times, was arrested on July 12. He had been convicted of driving while intoxicated and aggravated sexual assault of a child. He was removed on July 14.
The arrests were carried out as part of coordinated operations by multiagency targeting teams. According to ICE, federal partners contributing to these efforts include the Houston offices of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Diplomatic Security Service and U.S. Marshals Service.
US-EU TRADE DEAL
Quote:MAKING GLOBAL HISTORY: Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump announced a trade deal with the European Union (EU), fundamentally rebalancing the economic relationship between the world’s two largest economies.
The deal marks a generational modernization of the transatlantic alliance and will provide Americans with unprecedented levels of market access to the European Union.
The deal bolsters America’s economy and manufacturing capabilities. The EU will purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy and make new investments of $600 billion in the United States, all by 2028.
Through decisive leadership and an unyielding commitment to American workers, President Trump has delivered yet another agreement that positions the United States as the world’s preeminent destination for investment, innovation, and advanced manufacturing.
REACHING A HISTORIC TRADE DEAL: President Trump’s agreement with the European Union achieves historic structural reforms and strategic commitments that will benefit American industry, workers, and national security for generations:
The United States and European Union reached a Cooperation Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair and Balanced Trade.
This colossal deal will enable U.S. farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and manufacturers to increase U.S. exports, expand business opportunities, and help reduce the goods trade deficit with the European Union. The EU will remove significant tariffs, including the elimination of all EU tariffs on U.S. industrial goods exported to the EU, creating enormous opportunities for American-made and American-grown goods to compete and win in Europe. This new market access will drive growth across the American economy—fueling exports, expanding production, and allowing American businesses of all sizes to reach millions of new customers across the Atlantic.
As part of President Trump’s strategy to establish balanced trade, the European Union will pay the United States a tariff rate of 15%, including on autos and auto parts, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors. However, the sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper will remain unchanged—the EU will continue to pay 50% and the parties will discuss securing supply chains for these products. This new tariff regime will generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue annually and help to close the longstanding trade imbalance between the United States and Europe by encouraging local sourcing, reshoring production, and ensuring that foreign producers contribute their fair share to the American economy.
Additional key terms of the U.S.-European Union Agreement will include:
Massive EU Investment in the United States: The EU will invest $600 billion in the United States over the course of President Trump’s term. This new investment is in addition to the over $100 billion EU companies already invest in the United States every year.
Unleashing American Energy: The EU will double down on America as the Energy Superpower by purchasing $750 billion of U.S. energy exports through 2028. This will strengthen the United States’ energy dominance, reduce European reliance on adversarial sources, and narrow our trade deficit with the EU.
Tariff Barriers: The European Union will work with the United States to eliminate tariffs in various sectors and will provide meaningful quotas for other products, which when combined will create commercially meaningful market access opportunities for a significant amount of U.S. goods exports to the European Union, supporting high-quality American jobs.
Non-Tariff Barriers for U.S. Industrial Exports: The European Union will work to address a range of U.S. concerns related to various EU requirements that are burdensome to U.S. exporters, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, including through efforts to eliminate the red tape that U.S. exporters face when doing business in the European Union.
Non-Tariff Barriers for U.S. Agriculture Exports: The United States and the European Union intend to work together to address non-tariff barriers affecting trade in food and agricultural products, including streamlining requirements for sanitary certificates for U.S. pork and dairy products.
No Free Riders: The United States and the European Union will establish strong rules of origin to ensure that the benefits of this agreement flow directly to the United States and the European Union, not to third countries.
Barriers for Digital Trade: The United States and the European Union intend to address unjustified digital trade barriers. In that respect, the European Union confirms that it will not adopt or maintain network usage fees. Furthermore, the United States and the European Union will maintain zero customs duties on electronic transmissions.
Economic Security: The United States and the European Union agree to strengthen economic security alignment to enhance supply chain resilience and innovation. The two sides will take complementary actions to address non-market policies of third parties, as well as cooperating on inbound and outbound investment reviews, export controls, and duty evasion.
Commercial Deals: The United States and European Union recognize a series of major commercial agreements across key sectors—including energy and semiconductors—that will further expand U.S. exports to the European market.
Military Equipment: The European Union agreed to purchase significant amounts of U.S. military equipment.
President Trump’s America First economic agenda is restoring our industrial might, securing energy dominance, and making the United States the premier destination for advanced manufacturing and industrial investment.
In just six short months, President Trump has reaffirmed the United States as the world’s most attractive destination for investment and the unrivaled leader in innovation, research, and advanced manufacturing.
Other American Presidents have tried and failed to reach a significant trade deal with the European Union. With this latest deal, President Trump has once again proven that bold leadership, economic strength, and unwavering resolve deliver results no other leader could achieve.
UKRAINE WAR
Quote:Donald Trump said he would reduce the 50-day deadline he had previously given Vladimir Putin for a ceasefire in Ukraine to "a lesser number," adding that he was "very disappointed" in the Russian president.
The U.S. president made the comments to reporters as he met United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Trump Turnberry Golf Courses in southwest Scotland.
On July 14, Trump gave the Russian leader a September 2 deadline to end hostilities, or face secondary sanctions which could deliver a blow to Moscow's key energy exports.
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Trump's pledge this month of "severe" secondary tariffs on Russia if Putin did not agree to a ceasefire was criticized as too lenient, in effect giving Moscow a seven-week window to continue with its battlefield efforts to capture Porkrovsk in the Donetsk region and strikes on Ukraine's infrastructure.
The reaction by the markets and the Kremlin signaled a lack of concern about the feasibility of secondary sanctions. But Trump's comments Monday show his growing frustration with the Russian president's intransigence at ending the war and could at least cement his commitment to continue arming Ukraine.
What To Know
The deadline Trump set for Putin has raised the prospect of 100 percent tariffs on countries trading with Russia, which, if implemented, could impact the purchase of fossil fuels by China and India, which have ramped up their trade with Moscow during the war.
But since Trump's comments two weeks ago, Russia has not relented in its attacks on Ukraine, with hundreds of drones fired overnight on Sunday.
When asked about ceasefire talks, Trump said Monday that his administration had thought that had been settled at least four times before, but he expressed dismay at Putin's continuing drone attacks.
Trump said that he was "very disappointed" in the Russian leader, reiterating his previous sentiments about Putin's continued aggression, in which he refers to strikes on civilian infrastructure rather than battlefield operations.
Trump said that the new deadline would be about "10 or 12 days from today," CBS News reported.
"We welcome these comments from President Trump and are looking forward to seeing quick actions by the White House and Senate to implement long-overdue, crippling sanctions," Yuriy Boyechko, CEO and Founder of Hope for Ukraine, said on Monday.
Zev Faintuch, head of research and intelligence at the security firm Global Guardian, told Newsweek that all actors are incentivized to gain as much bargaining leverage as possible ahead of any deadline.
Russia is continuing to feature its increased capacity to mount massive missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns, he said.
The recent release of footage of its new Tatarstan drone mega-factory is a deliberate signal in this ultimatum window that the costs imposed on Ukraine and its backers will only increase over time, he added.
Quote:Nazism is making a comeback in the West, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Russia is fighting alone against the entire region.
"Until now—even during the Cold War—dialogue went on, allowing the opposing camps to better understand each other's intentions, with the biggest goal being to prevent a major war," Lavrov said at the Terra Scientia National Educational Youth Forum, according to state news agency Tass.
"However, Europe has lost this instinct, and similarly, the vaccine against Nazism has begun to wear out."
Why It Matters
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly cited supposed neonazism in Ukraine as one of the reasons behind his full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022, which remains ongoing.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Lavrov earlier this year. The State Department said that both sides agreed to "appoint high-level teams to begin working on a path to ending the conflict in Ukraine as soon as possible in a way that is enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all sides."
Lavrov said U.S. President Donald Trump is "open to dialogue."
"The dialogue that we maintain with the Trump administration indicates that there still are reasonable people in the West," Lavrov said, according to Tass.
Trump said on Monday that he will reduce a 50-day deadline he previously imposed on Russia to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions.
"I'm very disappointed. I'm disappointed in President Putin. Very disappointed in him. So, we're going to have to look, and I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number," Trump told reporters.
Quote:An unidentified drone suspected to have come from Belarus entered into Lithuanian airspace on Monday, according a local outlet.
Darius Buta, a representative of Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center, told public broadcaster LRT that a drone was spotted at an altitude of approximately 650 feet near the capital city of Vilnius.
"This morning, residents received reports about a drone that most likely flew into the territory of Lithuania from Belarus," Buta told the outlet. "Police have activated all forces."
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Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but borders several nations, such as Lithuania, that are. Article 5 states that an attack on any NATO member would be treated like an attack on them all.
In this instance, it does not appear as if Lithuania was attacked, and no injuries have been reported as of time of writing. Still, the drone incident highlights NATO members' proximity to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
What To Know
Residents first reported the drone at approximately 5:55 a.m. local time, per LRT. It sounded "like that in Ukraine where drones fly, a rumbling sound," one resident told the outlet.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė told LRT that the drone may have been one intended for Ukraine, jammed by Kyiv's air defenses.
Ukraine's Air Force has said it stopped 309 of 324 attack drones and decoys launched against Ukraine overnight on Monday. One of the drones hit an apartment building in Kyiv, injuring a 3-year-old child and seven other people, per the Kyiv Independent.
Lithuanian outlet BNS reported that Vilnius would be adding more defenses to its border following this drone incident, with Šakalienė telling reporters: "We will take additional steps to ensure more effective border monitoring in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and we will use additional military forces for this."
She added that there are "no indications" that this drone incident was deliberate.
Šakalienė told the media that Belarus is hosting joint Russian and Belarusian military exercises in mid-September for an anticipated 13,000 troops, which could increase the number of cross-border incidents.
Russia and Belarus, which borders Ukraine as well as Lithuania, make up the Union State and its leaders signed in late 2024 in Minsk a treaty, which Putin said would allow both countries to use "all available forces and means" as part of the countries' mutual defense obligations.
Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka was reelected to his seventh term in January 2025, in an election deemed a sham by Western governments.
MIDDLE EAST
Quote:Two American citizens remain detained in Iran on suspicion of spying for Israel following last month's 12-day conflict, according to Israeli state media.
One of the men, a Jewish American from Los Angeles with Iranian roots, was recently released on bail. The other, a New York resident, remains in custody. Both were visiting relatives in Iran when they were arrested amid a broader crackdown targeting individuals suspected of collaborating with Israel.
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The detentions reflect Tehran's intensifying efforts to root out alleged espionage, heightening concerns over the safety of dual nationals—especially Americans—and increasing tensions between Iran and the West.
These arrests point to heightened risks for those perceived to have ties to Israel and likely will further strain already tense U.S.-Iran relations, with the U.S. State Department repeatedly warning against travel to Iran, citing the real danger of wrongful detention on espionage charges.
What To Know
Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that following the conflict with Israel, Iranian authorities arrested at least 35 Jews suspected of spying, including the two Americans.
The New York resident, who had left Iran 30 years ago, traveled back to visit family. The other detainee, the Los Angeles resident with Iranian heritage, was arrested alongside him but has since been released on bail.
"They came to the wrong place at the wrong time," Israel's Ynet news port quoted an anonymous legal representative involved in the case as saying.
Ongoing Negotiations
Homayoun Sameyah Najafabadi, a Jewish member of Iran's parliament, told local media he had secured the release of several detainees and confirmed that espionage charges were dropped against those held in Tehran. Some were released on light bail, he said, expressing hope that the remaining detainees would soon be freed.
However, it was not entirely clear which specific detainees Najafabadi was referring to. He said he was also pursuing the release of detainees in Alborz and Shiraz provinces.
Spy Arrests
Iranian authorities launched a campaign to shore up domestic security after Israel's attack on June 13, and it continued after the ceasefire on June 24. Iran has detained more than 700 individuals accused of collaborating with Israel or other hostile foreign governments. The crackdown has included mass arrests, swift trials and multiple executions involving alleged spies.
Quote:President Donald Trump ridiculed Iran's continued pursuit of uranium enrichment following U.S. airstrikes on its key nuclear sites last month, expressing disbelief on Sunday at Tehran's persistence despite what he described as a decisive military blow to its ambitions.
"They got the hell knocked out of them and they…I don't think they know it," Trump told reporters at his golf course in the Scottish village of Turnberry. He said Iran's insistence on enrichment was "stupid" and vowed to stop the program outright.
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Trump's comments marked one of the sharpest threats from Washington since last month's 12-day war, when Israeli and U.S. strikes targeted Iran's nuclear facilities. Despite the losses, Tehran remains defiant on uranium enrichment—a key issue behind decades of U.S.-Iran tensions.
The U.S. leader's remarks highlight a growing divide: Iran claims its program is peaceful and scientific, while the U.S. sees enrichment as a path to nuclear weapons—something Trump insists he would never allow.
What to Know
Following a meeting with EU chief Ursula Von der Leyen, Trump expressed surprise at Iran's ongoing pursuit of uranium enrichment. "They still talk about enrichment," he said. "Who would do that? You just come out of something that's so bad, and they talk about, we want to continue enrichment."
He added: "How stupid can you be to say that?"
Trump also condemned Iran's rhetoric, saying: "Iran has been very nasty with their words, with their mouth. They got the hell knocked out of them and they…I don't think they know it. I actually don't think they know."
Nuclear Damage
On June 22, U.S. forces struck Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordow, Esfahan and Natanz, following a 12-day Israeli offensive. In retaliation, Iran launched missile attacks on Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar—the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East—claiming it was a direct response to American aggression.
Although Iran reported successful strikes, U.S. and Qatari officials stated that all missiles were intercepted and no casualties or major damage occurred.
National Pride
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently reaffirmed that Iran would not abandon its uranium enrichment program. He called the effort both a scientific success and a patriotic symbol.
"Our enrichment is so dear to us," Araghchi said.
Meanwhile, Iran has said that it would proceed with nuclear negotiations alongside European powers following "serious, frank and detailed" discussions in Istanbul last week.
Quote:Militant group Hamas condemned what it called U.S. President Donald Trump's "denial of the famine in Gaza" and hit back against accusations that its members were stealing aid meant for Palestinians.
Trump had called Gaza "a mess" and said it was up to Israel to "make a decision" on its next steps in the territory. The comments came as the Israeli military began a limited 10-hour pauses in fighting across three areas of the strip on Sunday to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid
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The latest friction follows a major setback in talks over a ceasefire agreement in Gaza after Israel and the United States—citing a "lack of good faith" by Hamas—withdrew their negotiators last week, a move Hamas said was negative.
Washington under Trump has backed Israel's position that Hamas is stealing and obstructing humanitarian aid.
What To Know
Izzat al-Rishq, a top Hamas official, said Trump's remarks "blatantly echo" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "narrative and lies," in an Arabic statement released on Monday on Telegram. The Israeli leader previously dismissed claims that his government had been pursuing a policy of starvation in Gaza.
Speaking to reporters in Scotland the previous day, Trump said: "The U.S. is giving a lot of money. If we weren't there, I think people would have starved, frankly. Gazans were "not eating well" because Hamas was stealing the aid, he said.
Aid groups have criticised distribution of assistance through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a U.S.-funded, Israeli-coordinated mechanism. Palestinians have described aid hubs as "death traps" due to Israeli gunfire. Israel says it fires to maintain security and crowd control and to prevent supplies from falling into the hands of militants. The GHF has blamed U.N. groups that have refused to work with it for a failure to get more aid into Gaza.
The U.N. Human Rights Office said 613 Palestinians were killed near GHF aid sites and convoys in its first month. Israeli fire killed at least a dozen more in the past day as they sought food, The Associated Press reported.
"The U.S. accusations regarding so-called 'aid theft' are baseless claims without any supporting evidence," said al-Rishq, who added that the comments gave Israel "additional cover to continue its campaign of starvation and genocide."
He cited a Reuters report on a recent USAID assessment that found no substantial evidence that Hamas had been systematically stealing large amounts of aid in Gaza.
While humanitarian groups warn of the deepening risk of famine in Gaza, Netanyahu on Sunday categorically rejected the concerns as a "a bold-faced lie." He said at a press conference in Jerusalem: "There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza."
Had Israel not facilitated the flow of aid throughout the war, "there would be no Gazans," Netanyahu said.
The Israeli military has declared a "tactical pause" in Deir al-Balah, Gaza City and Muwasi to allow aid delivery and safe passage of U.N. convoys. Jordan and the UAE also conducted airdrop missions to deliver food and supplies.
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said on Sunday that ceasefire negotiations have become "meaningless" under "siege and starvation."
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thessalonians 5:9
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Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
Maranatha!
The Internet might be either your friend or enemy. It just depends on whether or not she has a bad hair day.
My Original Stories (available in English and Spanish)
List of Compiled Binary Executables I have published...
HiddenChest & Roole
Give me a free copy of your completed game if you include at least 3 of my scripts!
Just some scripts I've already published on the board...
KyoGemBoost XP VX & ACE, RandomEnkounters XP, KSkillShop XP, Kolloseum States XP, KEvents XP, KScenario XP & Gosu, KyoPrizeShop XP Mangostan, Kuests XP, KyoDiscounts XP VX, ACE & MV, KChest XP VX & ACE 2016, KTelePort XP, KSkillMax XP & VX & ACE, Gem Roulette XP VX & VX Ace, KRespawnPoint XP, VX & VX Ace, GiveAway XP VX & ACE, Klearance XP VX & ACE, KUnits XP VX, ACE & Gosu 2017, KLevel XP, KRumors XP & ACE, KMonsterPals XP VX & ACE, KStatsRefill XP VX & ACE, KLotto XP VX & ACE, KItemDesc XP & VX, KPocket XP & VX, OpenChest XP VX & ACE
