While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, July 25
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing a joint meeting of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, on July 24.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Netanyahu sketches vague outline for post-war Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sketched a vague outline of a plan for a “deradicalised” post-war Gaza in a speech to Congress on July 24 and touted a potential future alliance between Israel and America’s Arab allies.
While dozens of Democrats boycotted his remarks and thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated nearby, Mr Netanyahu dismissed criticism of an Israeli campaign that has devastated the Palestinian enclave and killed more than 39,000 of its residents, according to Gaza health officials.
Anti-Israel protesters stand with Hamas and “should be ashamed of themselves,” Mr Netanyahu said, charging without evidence that they were backed by Israel’s foe Iran. “For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now outside this building,” he said.
He blamed reports of hunger in Gaza on Hamas, the militant group that rules the Palestinian enclave, and insisted Israel was protecting civilians there. He said Israel was intensely engaged in efforts to free the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
Ukraine tells China Russia not ready for ‘good faith’ talks
Kyiv is prepared to negotiate with Russian representatives when Moscow is willing to hold talks “in good faith”, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said in China, according to his ministry on July 24.
China has sought to paint itself as a mediator in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sending envoy Li Hui to Europe on multiple rounds of “shuttle diplomacy.”
“Dmytro Kuleba reiterated Ukraine’s consistent position that it is ready to negotiate with the Russian side at a certain stage, when Russia is ready to negotiate in good faith, but stressed that currently there is no such readiness on the Russian side,” the foreign ministry said, in a statement.
Trump shooter did online search for JFK assassination
NYT
The 20-year-old man suspected of trying to kill former president Donald Trump conducted an online search of the John F. Kennedy assassination on the day he registered for Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, FBI director Christopher Wray said on July 24.
“Analysis of a laptop that the investigation ties to the shooter reveals that on July 6, he did a Google search for -quote - ‘how far away was Oswald from Kennedy’,” Mr Wray said, in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.
“That is the same day that it appears that he registered for the Butler rally,” he said, adding that suspect Thomas Crooks had become “very focused on president Trump and his rally” at the time.
Arrest of Russian ‘chef’ underscores Olympics fears
REUTERS
The arrest of a Russian man in Paris, reportedly a former reality-TV chef, over a suspected “destabilisation” plot targeting the Paris Olympics underscores French concerns that Moscow is looking to undermine the event from afar.
The man, born in 1984, was detained at his home in Paris this week and is suspected of “passing intelligence to a foreign power in order to arouse hostilities in France,” a statement from prosecutors said on July 23.
Le Monde newspaper said police had found documents “of diplomatic interest” at his apartment and he was suspected of working for the Russian FSB intelligence service after appearances in reality TV shows and a stint as a chef in a French ski resort.
Morocco win in chaotic Olympics opening game
A fan invasion in the opening match of the Olympic football tournament between Argentina and Morocco on July 24 caused chaos, with Argentina eventually beaten 2-1 following a VAR review after play was suspended with the score tied at 2-2.
Argentina’s Cristian Medina scored deep in injury time to salvage what looked like a 2-2 draw, but the decision ruling out the goal was delivered about two hours after play was suspended when the teams re-emerged on to the pitch to finish the match in an empty stadium.
The teams played for three minutes and 15 seconds after VAR completed its review and disallowed the goal.
