Category: International

Noua rundă de negocieri de armistițiu dintre Israel și Hamas s-a încheiat fără progrese
First round of Israel-Hamas talks over ceasefire ends inconclusively, say Palestinian sources
BRICS nations express concern over Gaza, call for immediate ceasefire
Israeli PM Netanyahu to meet US President Trump at White House

This blog has now closed. Here you can read the headlines from around Gaza, Israel and the wider Middle East on Monday, July 7.

Skip next section Trump, Netanyahu to discuss Gaza ceasefire deal07/07/2025July 7, 2025

Trump, Netanyahu to discuss Gaza ceasefire deal

Trump and Netanyahu have met three times since JanuaryImage: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

The White House said a proposed ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas would be on the agenda when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with US President Donald Trump.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will head to Qatar later this week where indirect negotiations are taking place.

“The utmost priority for the president right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages,” Leavitt said.

On Sunday, Trump said “we are working to achieve the much discussed deal.”

The meeting will be the third time Trump hosts Netanyahu since the US president returned to office in January

Netanyahu: Trump meeting could help ‘advance’ Gaza deal

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https://p.dw.com/p/4x68MSkip next section Houthis claim ‘Magic Seas’ cargo ship sinks in Red Sea after attack07/07/2025July 7, 2025

Houthis claim ‘Magic Seas’ cargo ship sinks in Red Sea after attack

The Magic Seas was passing near Yemen when it was attacked by the Houthis [FILE: August 9, 2022]Image: Nektarios Papadakis/AP/picture alliance

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said Monday evening that a cargo ship, the Magic Seas, had sunk after they attacked it in the Red Sea on Sunday.

The Houthis attacked the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier with drones, missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire.

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO) said that an armed security team on the vessel had returned fire against an initial attack with guns. Private maritime security firm Ambrey said the ship had also been attacked by drone boats that carried bombs.

The crew of 22 was forced to abandon ship and was reportedly rescued by a passing merchant vessel.

Claims that the ship sunk could not be immediately verified.

The Houthis’ military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said the group would continue targeting ships in the Red Sea “until the aggression on Gaza stops and the siege on it is lifted.”

The Red Sea is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, connecting Europe and Asia via the Suez Canal in Egypt.

Houthi attacks from late 2023 to late 2024 caused significant disruption to navigation in the area.

https://p.dw.com/p/4x5gySkip next section US moves to lift Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terror designation07/07/2025July 7, 2025

US moves to lift Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terror designation

The Trump administration has moved to lift the terror designation for Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria, according to an unpublished memo seen by news agencies on Monday.

HTS had been designated as a “foreign terrorist organization” by the United States.

It was originally the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, and was known as the Nusra Front before it changed its name and cut ties with al-Qaeda.

HTS spearheaded the 2024 offensive that overthrew the regime of former Syrian leader Bashar Assad and is now overseeing a transition period.

The US notice is set to be published on Tuesday, July 8. The memo said the revocation “goes into effect upon publication.”

Is HTS ready to govern post-Assad Syria?

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https://p.dw.com/p/4x5XySkip next section Israel claims arrest of Iran Quds Force members in Syria07/07/2025July 7, 2025

Israel claims arrest of Iran Quds Force members in Syria

Israel on Monday said its military had arrested members of Iran’s paramilitary Quds Force operating in Syria.

The Quds Force belongs to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard and is Iran’s de facto fighting force.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it arrested members of the outfit in southern Syria. Israel offered no further information on the arrests.

Monday’s announcement followed the Israeli arrest last week of three Palestinians in Syria for their membership in a “terror cell controlled by Iran.”

“For the second time in the past week … troops completed a targeted overnight operation and apprehended several operatives who posed a threat in the area,” said the IDF’s Monday statement.

In mid-June, Israel claimed that it had arrested several members of the Palestinian Islamist militia Hamas in Syria.

https://p.dw.com/p/4x4w4Skip next section US envoy encouraged by Lebanon’s take on Hezbollah disarmament07/07/2025July 7, 2025

US envoy encouraged by Lebanon’s take on Hezbollah disarmament

US Special Envoy Thomas Barrack on Monday said he was “unbelievably satisfied” with Lebanon’s response to a US plan for disarming the Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah.

The militant Islamist group recently vowed that it would not give up its weapons, yet Beirut gave a detailed seven-page report to the US in response to Washington’s June 19 proposal for disarming the group.

After meeting with Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, Barrack told reporters: “What the government gave us was something spectacular in a very short period of time. I’m unbelievably satisfied with the response.”

In a warning to the impoverished Middle Eastern country, Barrack had previously said Lebanon risks being “left behind” by developments in the region.

US Envoy Barrack also called for Hezbollah to become a purely political player in the region, saying the group “needs to see that there is a future” for it in the Middle East.

Hezbollah joined attacks on Israel shortly after Hamas launched its October 7, 2023, attack on Israeli civilians, with Israel regularly returning fire into Lebanon.

https://p.dw.com/p/4x4QxSkip next section Israel launches fresh strikes on Houthis07/07/2025July 7, 2025

Israel launches fresh strikes on Houthis

Jon Shelton

Israel on Monday launched attacks at Houthi targets in Yemen hours after a Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged cargo ship — the Magic Seas — was attacked near the Yemeni port of Hodeidah late Sunday.

Israeli air forces on Monday struck targets in ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Salif, as well as a power plant at Ras Qantib.

“These ports are used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the state of Israel and its allies,” read an Israeli military statement.

Israel also struck the Galaxy Leader, a vessel seized by the Houthis last November. The group had been using it to track international maritime traffic and plan further attacks.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are thought to be behind the attack on the Magic Seas, fired two missiles at Israel in response to the strikes. Israeli military efforts to intercept the missiles appear to have failed, though no injuries have been reported.

The attack on the Magic Seas was reportedly carried out with bomb-laden drone boats, signaling a potential escalation of Iranian involvement. The Islamic Republic is a backer of the rebel Houthis, who began attacking Israel in response to its military campaign against Hamas in retribution for Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

Both the US and Israel have attacked Houthi strongholds in an effort to ensure freedom of movement for nearly

As Gaza ceasefire talks loom and the world waits to see how Iran will react to the recent US bombing of its nuclear program, Israel issued a warning to both the Houthis and leaders in Tehran.

Citește mai multe știri pe top10stiri.ro

“What’s true for Iran is true for Yemen,” said Defense Minister Israel Katz: “Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have it cut off. The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions.”

https://p.dw.com/p/4x4AGSkip next section Israel to issue conscription notice to 54,000 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men07/07/2025July 7, 2025

Israel to issue conscription notice to 54,000 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men

The Israeli army on Sunday said it will begin sending conscription notices to 54,000 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men through July, who were exempt from military service until now.

“The army will begin this week issuing summons to complete the enlistment process for ultra-Orthodox men whose status as yeshiva (religious seminary) students is no longer valid following the expiration of the previous legal arrangement,” said a military statement.

“The military will continue efforts to expand enlistment among the ultra-Orthodox public, while working to ensure the best possible conditions that respect their unique way of life,” it added.

This move is highly controversial and could spell trouble for Netanyahu’s coalition government, which includes representatives from the ultra-Orthodox community as well.

An arrangement dating back to 1948 exempts the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi (God-fearing) Jews who are dedicated to religious studies, from military service.

Around 66,000 men currently fall under the exemption.

Israel’s Supreme Court has often challenged this status since the 2000s. Since June 2024, the ruling government has been under pressure from the judicial system to start drafting Haredi men.

Ultra-Orthodox draft ruling sparks tensions in Israel

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https://p.dw.com/p/4x3g9Skip next section Netanyahu to meet Trump at White House07/07/2025July 7, 2025

Netanyahu to meet Trump at White House

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left on Monday to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC.

“This is my third visit with (US President Donald Trump) since he was elected over six months ago,” Netanyahu told reporters at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv before his departure.

Netanyahu also plans to meet US government officials as well as other Republican and Democratic leaders.

What can be expected of Netanyahu’s US trip?

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On Sunday, Trump had said that a ceasefire and hostage release deal could possibly be reached this week.

“We are working to achieve the much discussed deal, on the conditions that we have agreed to,” Netanyahu said, referring to a US proposal. Hamas has requested some amendments but agreed to the proposal in principle.

Experts and analysts believe that Israel and Hamas will be able to overcome their differences to reach a deal.

Donald Trump claims peace in the Middle East is imminent

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https://p.dw.com/p/4x3foSkip next section BRICS leaders express ‘grave concern’ about Gaza situation07/07/2025July 7, 2025

BRICS leaders express ‘grave concern’ about Gaza situation

Leaders of the BRICS group of nations expressed “grave concern” about the situation in Gaza after their meeting on Monday.

“We reiterate our grave concern about the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with the resumption of continuous Israeli attacks against Gaza and obstruction of the entry of humanitarian aid into the territory,” they said.

The group called for adherence to international law while also encouraging an immediate ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of all detainees and hostages.

They also condemned the Israeli and US military strikes on Iran.

https://p.dw.com/p/4x3QcSkip next section First round of Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks ends indecisively: sources07/07/2025July 7, 2025

First round of Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks ends indecisively: sources

The first round of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha, Qatar, ended inconclusively, Palestinian sources close to the matter said on Monday.

“After the first session of indirect negotiations in Doha, the Israeli delegation is not sufficiently authorized … to reach an agreement with Hamas, as it has no real powers,” the sources told Reuters news agency.

The BBC reported that the talks took place in two different buildings, and lasted for about three and a half hours.

The two sides communicated through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, but to no avail. Talks are expected to resume again on Monday.

https://p.dw.com/p/4x3NPSkip next section Welcome to our coverage07/07/2025July 7, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Tanika Godbole with AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters | Elizabeth Schumacher Editor

Hello and welcome to DW’s coverage of developments in the Middle East on Monday, July 7, 2025.

Talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday about a possible ceasefire ended inconclusively, Palestinian sources close to the matter said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is flying to Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump, who suggested on Friday that there “could be a Gaza deal” next week.

https://p.dw.com/p/4x3M2Tanika Godbole Multimedia Journalist based in New DelhiJon Shelton Writer, translator and editor with DW’s online news team.Send us your feedback

Sursa: DW

08/07/2025

CNN —

The escalating climate crisis is shifting many people’s purchasing patterns and this extends to the Delay means death': We're running out of ways to adapt to the climate crisis, new report shows. Here are the key takeaways

Strategy and consulting firm Simon Kucher’s Global Sustainability Study 2021 found 60% of consumers around the world rated sustainability as an important purchase criterion, and 35% were willing to pay more for sustainable products or services.

This shift in consumer preferences has propelled many beauty brands to set environmental goals: to move away from single-use and virgin plastics, provide recyclable, reusable and refillable packaging and offer more transparency around products’ ingredients so customers can ascertain how “green” their purchase is.

However, consumers still struggle to understand the sustainability credentials of many products, according to the British Beauty Council. This is because the industry’s clean-up efforts have been inconsistent, and fall short of making a recognizable impact in the absence of collective goal-setting, global strategy and standardized regulations.

Ingredient and branding transparency

There is no international standard for the beauty industry on how much product ingredient information to share with customers — or how to do so. Brands can set their own rules and goals, giving rise to confusion and “greenwashing,” where sustainability claims are often touted but not substantiated.

Companies often use marketing language like “clean beauty” to make it seem like their products are natural, for example, when they may not actually be organic, sustainable or ethically made.

“The term ‘clean beauty’ has become quite dangerous. It’s used to sell more products,” according to British Beauty Council CEO Millie Kendall, who added that such buzzwords are losing traction in the UK as British customers wise up to their shortcomings. “Customers need better marketing information and certification information.”

In a 2021 report calling on the industry to have “the courage to change” their business practices, the British Beauty Council wrote that, all too often, even natural ingredients involved in manufacturing products give way to “over-consumption, non-regenerative farming practices, pollution, waste and neglect.”

“The only way out of this is transparency,” Kendall told CNN.

Jen Lee, chief impact officer at US-based brand Beautycounter, said she continues to see confusion over ingredients among consumers. (In 2013, the company launched and published “The Never List,” which currently cites more than 2,800 chemicals — including heavy metals, parabens and formaldehyde — it claims to never use in its products.)

“Natural vs. synthetic ingredients has been a conversation. People think natural is safer, but it’s not always the case,” Lee explained. “Natural ingredients formulated in the industry can have toxic load. Heavy metals can occur in natural components of the earth.”

“We used to be more natural and organic,” added Sasha Plavsic, founder of makeup brand ILIA Beauty. “What was challenging is (that) raw materials were difficult to source or would come in inconsistently or products wouldn’t perform.”

Most makeup is created and molded at high temperatures, Plavsic explained. Purely organic materials often fall apart in this heat, leading to inconsistent results and subpar product performance. “Not every synthetic is bad,” Plavsic said. “Sometimes, it helps create the best in class formula.”

Unpacking plastics

The industry’s plastic packaging is a particular sustainability challenge — 95% is thrown away and the vast majority is not recycled, according to the British Beauty Council.

The cosmetics business is the fourth biggest plastic packaging user globally — after food and beverage, industrial packaging and pharmaceuticals — and plastic is about 67% of the industry’s packaging volume, according to Vantage Market Research. Beauty giant L’Oreal used 144,430 metric tons of plastic in its packaging material in 2021, for example, according to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation (EMF). Estee Lauder Companies reported its brands produced 71,600 metric tons of plastic in product packaging that same year.

And only 9% of the global plastic waste is recycled, according to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The United States only recycles 4% of its plastic waste.

Many brands are trying to phase out harmful plastics from their operations and adopt post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. (L’Oreal has set a target of 50% PCR plastic usage by 2025, while Estee Lauder is targeting 25% “or more” PCR plastic — but both are far from achieving their targets.)

“Between 60-70 major global brands have made unprecedented progress” in PCR plastic usage across industries, EMF’s Plastic Initiative Lead Sander DeFruyt told CNN. But DeFruyt stressed that PCR plastic must be adopted in conjunction with brands removing single and virgin plastics from their usage cycles to truly make a difference.

However, PCR plastic is not easy to find — low recycling rates around the world mean there is limited supply. Meanwhile, demand for it is growing demand across industries, DeFruyt said. This competition hikes up its price, which is already higher than virgin plastic.

Hair care brand FEKKAI claims that it used up to 95% PCR content in its packaging, but pricing and supply issues posed a challenge, forcing it to currently aim for containers and packaging that feature at least 50% PCR in its packaging.

“PCR plastic is more expensive than stock plastic. The cost is hard and then sourcing it is too,” founder Frédéric Fekkai told CNN. “PCR is close to our heart, but there is a massive demand, so finding recycled plastic is difficult.”

Vezi toate știrile de pe ambițiile ecologice industriei

The weight of retail

Beauty retailers plays a pivotal — and under-utilized — role, with control over stocking decisions and supply chains. But many vary when it comes to the standards they set for brands they sell.

“Smaller businesses do more, full stop,” said Jessi Baker, founder of the technology platform Provenance, which helps brands display their sustainability credentials for customers. “They move more nimbly. Some of them are born-good brands — climate friendliness was part of their setup. They don’t need to restructure their entire supply chain. Their culture already has it compared to the larger brands who need to work hard to change.”

Sephora launched its “Clean + Planet Positive” initiative in 2021, which labeled products that met its set criteria. (This is separate from the French retailer’s “Clean at Sephora” program, which is currently facing a consumer lawsuit alleging it carries a significant percentage of products understood by customers to be harmful.) Target launched a similar program in 2022, featuring a “Target Zero” icon for both online and in-store offerings that either have reusable, recyclable, compostable or reduced plastic packaging, or feature waterless or concentrated products.

Still, many steps taken by brands and retailers do not even begin to touch on the waste and pollution generated throughout supply chains, manufacturing and shipping, all huge problems for the industry to grapple with.

The missing player

The gaps in standardization in the beauty ecosystem can, to some extent, be filled by certifications such as the US-born B Corporation, or B Corp. This accreditation, one of the most well-known in the beauty space, is issued by the non-profit B Lab, which scores a company on a variety of criteria around ethics and sustainability. However beneficial it may be among eco-conscious consumers, though, it is currently completely voluntary for brands to apply for.

Governments and multinationals enforcing regulations and setting a base line for brands to operate from when making sustainability claims would go a long way to making change, many experts and business leaders believe.

Susanne Kaufmann, founder of her namesake beauty brand, says her efforts in Austria would reap better results if more countries around the world had stricter, more uniform garbage disposal laws.

“I package our product in a recyclable material,” Kaufmann said. (Her products’ packaging, which is refillable and reusable, is made from 75% recycled plastic — and is 100% recyclable.) If I send this to the US, the garbage is not separated… and it’s not recyclable,” she explained, referring to inconsistencies in recycling laws across the United States.

And when it comes to ingredients, the European Chemicals Agency lists 2,495 substances banned from use in cosmetic products marketed for sale or use in the bloc. But the US Food and Drug administration only lists 11, making it more challenging for American consumers to find safer, greener options. The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit watchdog, studied lab tests of 51 sunscreen products in 2021 and found that only 35% of products met the EU standard, compared with 94% that passed the US standard.

However, while government can set minimum requirements, Mia Davis, vice president of sustainability and impact at beauty retailer Credo Beauty, says the needle will move in the private sector.

“Regulation can raise the floor a bit. A person who doesn’t know about any (sustainability issues) should still be able to walk into a bodega and get clean products… But that’s never going to be what the market can do,” she said. “Market leadership is key.”

In the absence of bold regulations or global standards on sustainability practices, this “leadership” — undertaken both by brands and customers in the beauty marketplace — is likely to be the most immediately impactful vector for addressing the industry’s climate shortcomings. It will take continued collective advocacy and initiative to see meaningful climate-conscious change.

Sursa: CNN

Category: International

Noua rundă de negocieri de armistițiu dintre Israel și Hamas s-a încheiat fără progrese

Trump, Netanyahu to discuss Gaza ceasefire deal

Netanyahu: Trump meeting could help ‘advance’ Gaza deal

Houthis claim ‘Magic Seas’ cargo ship sinks in Red Sea after attack

US moves to lift Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terror designation

Is HTS ready to govern post-Assad Syria?

Israel claims arrest of Iran Quds Force members in Syria

US envoy encouraged by Lebanon’s take on Hezbollah disarmament

Israel launches fresh strikes on Houthis

Israel to issue conscription notice to 54,000 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men

Ultra-Orthodox draft ruling sparks tensions in Israel

Netanyahu to meet Trump at White House

What can be expected of Netanyahu’s US trip?

Donald Trump claims peace in the Middle East is imminent

BRICS leaders express ‘grave concern’ about Gaza situation

First round of Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks ends indecisively: sources

Welcome to our coverage

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Ingredient and branding transparency

Unpacking plastics

The weight of retail

The missing player

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