☕ Ceasefire talks collapse

Good morning!

Farewell to E! News, which will air its last episode on September 25 after 32 years on air. Instead of the daily broadcast, the organization will be focusing on their social media channels (now 87 million followers strong) - so not quite disappearing from the red carpet just yet!

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Some headlines from this morning:

• A Canadian judge has found five professional ice hockey players not guilty of sexual assault, alleged to have happened in 2018. The five players were part of Canada's 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship team and were accused of assaulting a woman in a hotel room while celebrating their victory. Justice Carroccia found all five defendants not guilty. She told the courtroom that she did not see the complainant’s evidence to be "credible or reliable." The judge cited "inconsistencies" in her testimony, particularly around her claims about her level of intoxication and mental state, which the judge said affected her ability to consent. The NHL Players' Association is now seeking to allow former players to return to their teams.

• The Federal Communications Commission approved an $8.4 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media on Thursday, giving Skydance control of CBS, Paramount Pictures and other major entertainment properties. The approval came after Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit with President Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris that aired in October. FCC Chair Brendan Carr, selected by Trump to lead the agency, said Skydance is committed to addressing "conservative grievances" and ending diversity initiatives at CBS News. The merger raises questions about media consolidation under the new administration.

• Senior officials from the Department of Justice have met with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, as pressure mounts on the Trump administration to release files from Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal network. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Maxwell at her Florida prison, where she is serving a 20-year sentence for assisting Epstein's abuse of trafficked underage girls. The meeting followed President Trump's promise to release documents related to the former financier during his 2024 presidential campaign, although his administration has faced criticism from supporters for delaying this process. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the interview a "glaring conflict of interest" since Blanche previously served as Trump's personal lawyer, while House Republicans have subpoenaed Maxwell to testify remotely before Congress next month.

• Former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan has died at age 71 of a heart attack. Hogan was last in the public eye when he spoke at the Republican National Convention in support of Donald Trump's re-election last year. The wrestler, born Terry Bollea, was a key figure in the World Wrestling Federation, a predecessor of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The organisation distanced itself from him in the 2010s following reports that he had used racist slurs. Hogan also made headlines in recent years when a video of him having sex with the wife of a friend was leaked and published by online outlet Gawker. He then sued Gawker with the financial assistance of tech billionaire Peter Thiel, which ultimately led to the publication's shutdown.

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Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has warned that cross-border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia could “develop into war” if it continues to escalate.

It comes as fighting between the two nations restarted early Friday morning (local time), following border clashes the previous day. At the time of writing, at least 15 people have been killed.

Tensions along the border have been simmering since a Cambodian soldier was killed in a firefight over disputed territory in May.

Here’s what you need to know.

History

Before we unpack the latest updates, it’s important to understand the historical context.

Thailand and Cambodia have a long history of border disputes, originating with the redrawing of borders during French colonial rule in Cambodia.

Disputes over the ambiguous borders in the French-drawn map resulted in military conflicts between 2008 and 2011, with eventual UN intervention and the establishment of a demilitarized zone.

Despite UN intervention, large swathes of territory on the forestry Thai/Cambodian border remain disputed.

Hostilities

In May this year, a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief clash with Thai forces.

Since that time, tensions between the two nations have continued to escalate. This week, a Cambodian landmine injured five Thai soldiers, the second incident of its kind. This resulted in Thailand downgrading diplomatic relations with Cambodia and expelling its ambassador.

Thai authorities said the landmines were placed recently, a claim Cambodia denies.

Later in the week, both forces traded gun and rocket fire, as well as shelling in twelve locations along the Thai/Cambodia border. Thailand also conducted an airstrike.

Thai forces say they have now evacuated 138,000 people from the four border provinces, and 15 people have been killed, including 14 civilians. Cambodian authorities have not provided any such information.

What’s next?

The UN, the U.S, and China are all calling for peace to prevail between the neighbouring countries. At the time of writing, Thailand has said it will refuse mediation from a third country.

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said: “If the situation escalates, it could develop into war, though for now it remains limited to clashes.”

I’ve got 2 minutes

Israeli and U.S. negotiators have withdrawn from ceasefire talks with Hamas. U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff accused Hamas of not “acting in good faith” in negotiations. A spokesperson for Hamas told media the group wanted to “continue negotiations” towards a permanent ceasefire.

It comes amid growing international criticism of Israel’s restrictions on aid entering Gaza, with the head of the World Health Organisation accusing the Israeli Government of causing “man-made... mass starvation.”

Ceasefire talks

Witkoff took a ceasefire deal to Israel and Hamas last month. Under the proposed 60-day ceasefire, 10 living and 18 dead hostages would be released in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners.

During this period, all Israeli military operations would “cease” and humanitarian aid would be “sent into Gaza... through agreed upon channels” including the UN. However, Israel and the U.S. announced their withdrawal from official ceasefire talks in Qatar overnight.

Hamas says it is seeking a permanent ceasefire. It’s called for Israel to recall its troops in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas on 7 October 2023. Israel says it wants Hamas to give up its arms and its power in Gaza.

The Associated Press reports another point of negotiations is the possibility of Israeli troops re-invading Gaza after a ceasefire. Since Israel’s decision to withdraw its negotiators from talks in Qatar, Israeli media have reported the Government will continue negotiations from within Israel.

Starvation

Earlier this week, the UN reported the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to access food.

The UN said IDF troops killed the majority near aid distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S-Israel backed organisation. The figures are still being verified.

According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, 10 Palestinians starved to death in one night this week. The WHO also said this week that 21 children under the age of five had died of malnutrition so far this year.

Global response

The International Criminal Court has an active arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It accuses Netanyahu of crimes against humanity, including “using starvation as a method of warfare”. UN human rights experts and independent body Human Rights Watch have accused Israel of genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza. Genocide is defined under international law as killing members of a “national, ethnical, racial, or religious group,” or making their survival impossible.

Media organisations have also raised concerns about the health of their staff in Gaza this week. Independent groups Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists say Israel has killed nearly 200 journalists since October 2023.

In a statement overnight, the BBC, Reuters, the Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse said they were “deeply alarmed” about “the threat of starvation” to their reporters.

France

Earlier on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would officially recognise the State of Palestine. France follows other European nations Spain, Norway, and Ireland, and will be the first in the powerful G7 bloc and the UN Security Council to do so.

Macron said there was “no alternative” way to achieve peace in the region. The French leader will formalise the recognition in front of the UN General Assembly in September.

Israel’s response

Responding to Macron’s announcement, Netanyahu has accused France of “rewarding terror”. Israel continues to deny accusations that it is deliberately blocking the flow of aid to Gaza.

In a post to X, an IDF spokesperson accused the UN of delaying distributing 950 trucks of aid, which the spokesperson said Israel had allowed into Gaza. The IDF has also rejected claims it intentionally targets humanitarian aid trucks.

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