w/b 21st of July 2025
This week, aid is airdropped into starving Gaza, but will it be enough to stop a man-made famine, as Starmer and Trump meet in Scotland to discuss a possible ceasefire for the Gulf? Meanwhile, the EU and US have finally struck a major trade deal, though not everyone is pleased with the outcome. And back home, the UK government announces another round of aid cuts, with devastating consequences predicted for several African nations.
Also this week: evangelical missionaries have been caught planting hidden audio devices broadcasting Bible verses to isolated Indigenous tribes in Brazil. Thailand and Cambodia agree to a fragile ceasefire after days of deadly border clashes. And in Taiwan, a mass recall effort against so-called ‘pro-China’ politicians fails, allowing all 24 lawmakers to remain in power.
- w/b 21st of July 2025
Gaza’s Humanitarian Collapse and the High Stakes of Starmer’s Trump Talks
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is now among the worst in the world. Over nine months into the conflict, the World Health Organization warns that the Strip is on a “dangerous trajectory” toward mass famine. As of July, at least 21 children under the age of five have died from malnutrition-related causes.
The figures from WHO are grim: an estimated 7,200 children under five are now suffering from acute malnutrition, alongside 17,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women. More than 90% of households are skipping meals daily, and one in three people in Gaza is reportedly going entire days without eating.
The overall health infrastructure has collapsed under the strain. Fewer than 15 of Gaza’s hospitals remain partially functioning, and even those are only operating at a fraction of their original capacity. Medical staff are treating severely wasted children without basic therapeutic food or antibiotics, and many families must travel for hours through dangerous territory just to reach clinics.
Many of the malnourished children arriving at health centres are dying within hours. WHO officials report that over 70% of the Gaza population is living in “crisis-level” food insecurity, with 495,000 people facing the worst “catastrophic” category of hunger.
As food becomes harder to find, the risks grow more desperate. Aid convoys are met by enormous crowds, with chaos regularly breaking out. There have been repeated reports of Israeli forces firing on civilians attempting to access aid, and at least 50 people have died this month alone in stampedes around food distribution points. Aid agencies like the World Food Programme say Gaza needs at least 600 truckloads of humanitarian aid per day to stave off famine.
Take a look at my post about the history behind the conflict in the Middle East
To try to bridge the gap, countries like Jordan and the UAE have stepped in with high-profile airdrops. On 27 July, three aircrafts jointly delivered around 25 tonnes of aid, mainly ready-to-eat meals and basic medical supplies. It was the first coordinated airdrop between the two nations in months. But the scale is nowhere near enough. One cargo plane can feed only a few thousand people for a day, while 2.2 million residents remain in dire need. Worse, previous airdrops have caused serious injuries when aid packages crashed into tents or crowds. At least 12 civilians were injured in early July when boxes fell directly into a displacement camp in Beit Lahia.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing for a high-stakes meeting with US President Donald Trump, set to take place in Scotland this week. Starmer plans to urge Trump to re-engage with international ceasefire efforts, which the US withdrew from earlier this month. The former mediation talks, held in Qatar, had been one of the few diplomatic channels between Israel and Hamas. But the US pulled out following disagreements over hostage release terms and security guarantees.
Starmer hopes to convince Trump that the scale of the humanitarian crisis now demands urgent American re-entry.Whether Trump is willing to listen remains to be seen. Historically aligned with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and deeply sceptical of Palestinian governance structures, Trump has shown little interest in diplomacy that doesn’t serve his domestic political goals. But Starmer is hoping that the optics of humanitarian collapse, especially with Britain already involved in aid operations, might shift the calculation. The UK is preparing its own airdrops and plans to evacuate up to 50 critically ill children for treatment in British hospitals. Logistics teams from the RAF are already assisting Jordanian efforts on the ground.
My Opinion on this
It’s hard to imagine a starker contrast. In Gaza, children are starving, not metaphorically, but literally. Thousands of families are surviving on scraps, if anything. Malnutrition is killing the youngest, and those still alive are growing up in a world of dust, hunger, and grief. They are dying in a war they didn’t start and can’t escape.
Meanwhile, halfway across the world, two of the most powerful men on the planet are preparing to discuss their future over a hunting weekend in Scotland. Keir Starmer and Donald Trump, well-fed, well-armed, well-removed, will stroll through manicured countryside while talking about whether or not Gaza should be allowed to live.
That’s not just bleak. It’s grotesque.
Yes, the fact that Jordan, the UAE, and the UK are now airdropping aid into Gaza is important. It shows the world still has a conscience. Every nation that steps up is helping to hold back a tide of unimaginable suffering. But while parachutes fall, children are still dying. Airdrops are better than nothing, but they are not a solution. And they must not be used as a substitute for the real action that only politics can deliver.
This is Starmer’s moment to show what kind of leader he wants to be. It’s not enough to throw aid from the sky. He must use his influence, however limited, to push Trump back into diplomacy. The US walked away from ceasefire talks, now it must be pulled back in.
Because right now, the West isn’t just failing Gaza. It’s insulting it. There is no universe in which debating the survival of an entire population while shouldering shotguns in the Highlands is anything but outrageous. It’s theatre. And Gaza doesn’t need a performance. It needs justice.
This isn’t about whether Starmer and Trump can end the war. It’s about whether they will even try, not in press statements, but in action. Children should not starve while world leaders pose for photo ops.
So yes, it’s good that the world is paying attention. But it’s not good enough. Not until that attention becomes accountability. And not until we stop treating Gaza’s right to exist as a topic for weekend conversation between men who will never know what real hunger feels like.
EU–US Trade Deal: A Fragile Peace in a Trade War That Almost Was
The European Union and the United States have struck a long-anticipated trade deal that may have averted a major tariff war, but not without cost. Finalised during Donald Trump’s visit to Scotland, the agreement imposes a 15% tariff on the majority of EU goods entering the US, down from the 30% duty that Trump had threatened to implement on 1 August.
The deal covers around 70% of EU exports to the US — valued at roughly €380 billion — and brings to a halt months of escalating tensions between the transatlantic allies. The EU, in return, has committed to purchasing $750 billion worth of American energy over the next three years and pledged $600 billion in new direct investment into the US economy, including major defence and manufacturing projects.
The announcement prompted immediate relief in financial markets, with European and American indexes rallying after fears of a full-blown trade war subsided. For businesses facing uncertainty — particularly in automotive, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors — the deal offers stability, if not total clarity.
But the compromise has sparked strong criticism within Europe. French officials described the agreement as “a humiliating concession” that locks European manufacturers into disadvantageous terms. German automakers warned that 15% tariffs on cars and parts could cost the sector billions annually, particularly as the industry transitions to electric vehicles.
Steel and aluminium exports remain especially hard-hit. The deal does not roll back the punitive 50% tariffs on those goods, instead leaving their status unresolved pending further negotiations on quotas. Pharmaceutical exports, previously duty-free, are now subject to potential 15% tariffs following a US national security review, though this too remains under discussion.
Supporters of the deal argue it is the best outcome available given the circumstances. By avoiding the sharp escalation to 30% tariffs, the EU has protected key industries from a potential economic shock and prevented retaliatory measures that would have likely followed. Some economists have called it “the least bad outcome,” especially given Trump’s deadline-driven negotiating style.
Still, many see the agreement as fundamentally lopsided. While the EU agreed to major purchases and investments, the US retained broad discretion over tariff implementation and did not offer substantial structural concessions in return. Critics say the deal sets a worrying precedent — that Europe must buy its way out of economic threats rather than negotiate as an equal.
The agreement must still be ratified by the EU’s governing bodies and individual member states, and the coming weeks could bring further revisions or political resistance. Some governments have already expressed concern over the lack of consultation ahead of the announcement and the potential impact on domestic industries.
UK Aid Cuts: A Retreat from Global Leadership That Risks Children’s Lives
The UK government’s latest decision to cut overseas aid spending has sparked alarm across the development and humanitarian sectors. Set to reduce the aid budget from 0.5% of gross national income (GNI) to just 0.3% by 2027, this move effectively slashes more than £6 billion annually from projects designed to support the world’s most vulnerable people — especially children.
Though framed by ministers as a necessary fiscal adjustment, the implications are anything but technical. According to the government’s own internal assessments, these cuts will disrupt critical health and education programmes in countries already reeling from conflict, poverty and under-resourced infrastructure. Nations such as Ethiopia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Sierra Leone are among those expected to suffer the most.
In the DRC, for example, the closure of a girls’ education programme is expected to affect more than 170,000 children, many of them in regions still grappling with the aftermath of war. Across several countries, 11 of 13 aid programmes being shut down are focused on gender equality — including family planning, child protection, and maternal health.
This is not the first wave of damage. Since the initial cut from 0.7% of GNI in 2021, UK aid has been reduced to its lowest levels since 1979. Over seven million children lost access to education, more than five million women and girls were left without modern family planning, and over eleven million people lost nutritional support. And yet, these numbers are rarely part of the political conversation.
Aid agencies have described the latest cuts as a “hammer blow”. Save the Children and UNICEF warn that the reduction will lead directly to more child deaths, more early marriages, more disease, and more instability. Health spending in the world’s poorest countries has already fallen by 63% between 2020 and 2023. The UK is not just withdrawing its support, it’s doing so at a moment when demand is higher than ever, with conflict, climate disasters and economic shocks battering many of the countries affected.
Perhaps most concerning is the lack of a clear replacement strategy. UNICEF UK recently noted that the government currently has no defined plan for child-focused aid. Spending on education has collapsed from 11% to just 4% of the bilateral aid budget in recent years. What little remains is increasingly funnelled through multilateral institutions or directed toward short-term crisis response rather than long-term development.
Critics argue that these cuts are not just morally indefensible but strategically short-sighted. Supporting global education, healthcare, and equality isn’t charity, it’s prevention. It strengthens communities, reduces forced migration, and creates the foundations for peace. Instead, the UK is choosing to cut these programmes while simultaneously recruiting doctors and nurses from the same health systems it is undermining.
Inside Westminster, the decision has not been without consequences. The International Development Minister resigned in protest, citing the contradiction between Britain’s stated values and its policy direction. MPs from across the political spectrum have expressed concern that the UK is turning its back on a proud legacy of leadership in global development.
For decades, the UK was seen as a global example in this space. From spearheading vaccine drives to supporting education for girls, its aid programmes saved lives and built futures. Now, that reputation is slipping away — not with a bang, but through quiet, systematic withdrawal.
Other Global News this week
Missionaries Target Brazil’s Isolated Tribes with Covert Audio Devices
An investigation has revealed that evangelical missionaries are secretly deploying solar-powered audio devices deep in the Amazon rainforest to broadcast Christian messages to isolated Indigenous communities. These devices, some hidden in trees or left along trails, play loops of translated Bible stories and religious teachings, often in Portuguese or Spanish, not Indigenous languages.
While missionaries claim they’re reaching out with compassion, many argue this is a covert and coercive form of evangelism. Brazil’s Indigenous affairs bodies, along with tribal rights groups, warn that even indirect contact can have devastating consequences for uncontacted groups, especially those with no immunity to outside diseases.
This activity appears to target tribes such as the Korubo and Matis in the Javari Valley, one of the world’s most densely populated areas for isolated Indigenous peoples. Brazil’s constitution protects the right of these groups to remain uncontacted, and federal law prohibits unauthorised interaction. Yet these devices, often planted without oversight, bypass such legal protections entirely.
For Indigenous advocates, this isn’t just a question of ethics, it’s a matter of survival. The fear is that the steady drone of foreign voices in the forest could unsettle fragile communities, disrupt cultural identity, and pave the way for further intrusions. Some devices have reportedly malfunctioned, creating eerie or disturbing experiences for their unintended listeners.
This controversy highlights a growing concern over technological evangelism and raises uncomfortable questions about power, consent, and cultural sovereignty. For many Indigenous leaders, the issue is simple: leave us alone. As one advocate put it, “They come with Bibles, but they bring erasure.”
Thailand–Cambodia Ceasefire
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following five days of intense military clashes along their contested border. The fighting, which displaced more than 300,000 people and resulted in dozens of deaths, marks one of the region’s worst military escalations in over a decade.
The ceasefire was brokered in Malaysia during emergency ASEAN-led talks, with support from international observers. Leaders from both countries agreed to withdraw forces from flashpoint zones and establish new communication channels to prevent future misunderstandings.
The violence began near disputed temple sites and quickly spiralled, with artillery strikes and air raids affecting civilian areas. Humanitarian groups have struggled to access affected communities, with many families now sheltering in overcrowded schools and religious centres on both sides of the border.
Thailand has accused Cambodia of provocative actions, while Cambodia blames Thailand for a disproportionate military response. Despite the finger-pointing, both sides appeared eager to de-escalate, likely in part due to growing economic and diplomatic pressure.
The truce, while fragile, offers a chance to pull back from the brink. There are plans to reopen talks on border demarcation and begin phased demilitarisation, but tensions remain high.
For now, civilians are cautiously hopeful. “We just want peace,” said one evacuee. But with years of mistrust behind them, Thailand and Cambodia will need more than words to turn this ceasefire into something lasting.
Taiwan Rejects Mass Recall of “Pro‑China” KMT Lawmakers
Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has suffered a political setback after voters overwhelmingly rejected a mass recall effort targeting 24 opposition lawmakers seen as aligned with China. All 24 Kuomintang (KMT) legislators survived the vote, defying a campaign that aimed to paint them as threats to Taiwan’s sovereignty.
The recall, unprecedented in scope, was initiated by pro-DPP civic groups following legislative clashes over defence spending and trade ties with Beijing. But low turnout and high thresholds for success meant none of the recalls passed, despite heavy media coverage and campaigning.
The result suggests growing public fatigue with partisan conflict and ideological fearmongering. While concern over China’s influence remains real in Taiwan, many voters appear wary of using recall votes as a political weapon. The failure of the campaign sends a clear message: democratic legitimacy should be earned at the ballot box, not revoked through technicalities.
For the KMT, this is a major morale boost. The party has been trying to soften its image, promoting trade and dialogue with China while distancing itself from any implication of compromising Taiwan’s autonomy. Surviving the recall gives them room to shift attention toward governance and economic recovery.
Meanwhile, the DPP may need to reassess its strategy. The message from voters is clear: stability matters, and sweeping attempts to purge political opponents may backfire. With Taiwan’s next election cycle looming, this recall failure could reshape the island’s political narrative, from confrontation to cooperation, or at least a demand for more substance and less spectacle.
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