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1. Trump Puts Iran Attack on Hold as Gulf Allies Push for Deal
President Trump has ordered a pause on any military action against Iran, citing active negotiations following intense diplomatic pressure from Gulf allies. The White House says it is giving diplomacy a chance to work after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar all signaled they could help broker de-escalation. The pause coincides with Iran reportedly agreeing to limit uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran squad manager drops World Cup readiness comments as league remains suspended.
2. Gaza Aid Flotilla: 41 Boats Intercepted, 10 Still Sailing
Foreign ministers from 10 countries have condemned Israel’s storming of an aid flotilla in the eastern Mediterranean, calling it a blatant violation of international law. Forty-one of the 51 boats in the convoy were intercepted by Israeli naval forces, while 10 remain unaccounted for and are believed to still be en route to Gaza. No casualties have been reported, but humanitarian groups say the blockade is deepening the humanitarian crisis in the strip.
3. WHO Emergency Committee Meets as Ebola Death Toll Hits 131
The World Health Organization has convened an emergency committee to assess vaccine options as the Ebola death toll in West Africa climbs past 131. The outbreak has now spread to five countries, and health officials are warning of a potential epidemic scale if containment measures fail. The committee is evaluating whether to release emergency stockpiles of vaccines from the global strategic reserve.
4. Israel Far-Right Minister Smotrich Faces ICC Arrest Bid
The International Criminal Court has moved to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, citing his role in far-right policies in the occupied West Bank. The ICC says there are reasonable grounds to believe Smotrich was involved in the deliberate transfer of civilians to annexed territory — a potential war crime. Israel has rejected the move as politically motivated and vowed to fight it at every level.
5. Spain’s Ex-PM Zapatero Faces Corruption Probe Over Airline Deal
Spain’s former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is under investigation by the country’s high court for alleged influence peddling in a commercial aviation deal. Prosecutors allege Zapatero’s consultancy work for a Latin American airline included improperly leveraging his political connections. The former PM denies any wrongdoing and says he acted fully within the law during his 2008–2011 tenure. The case is expected to take months to resolve.
