The Guardian / Israel shatters Gaza ceasefire after renewed IDF strikes kill more than 320 Palestinians

• Israeli airstrikes on Gaza overnight killed at least 404 people and injured over 660, according to Palestinian health authorities, marking a major escalation following the breakdown of a ceasefire.

• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, stating it was necessary to "achieve war objectives," while Hamas condemned the strikes as a "blatant violation of humanitarian conventions."

• The United Nations and international humanitarian groups expressed outrage, with UN rights chief Volker Turk calling for an immediate end to the violence, warning that further military action will only worsen the humanitarian crisis.

• Turkey and other countries strongly criticized Israel’s actions, with Turkey’s foreign ministry denouncing the airstrikes as part of a "genocide policy" and calling for international intervention to halt further attacks.

SCMP / Ishiba’s gift scandal sparks ‘volcanic’ public outrage, plunging Japan’s LDP into crisis 

• Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s approval ratings have plummeted following public outrage over his gift scandal, with disapproval reaching 64% in some polls ahead of the crucial July election.

• While the 100,000-yen gift certificates given to LDP lawmakers were legal, analysts say the scandal has reignited public anger over political corruption and financial misconduct within Japan’s ruling party.

• Opposition leaders and even LDP allies have called for Ishiba to take moral responsibility, with demands for him to testify before the Diet’s ethics panel and growing support for a no-confidence motion.

• With the LDP facing significant election losses, internal party critics are pushing for Ishiba’s resignation, though replacing him so soon could damage the party’s credibility and stability on the global stage.

Le Monde / Niger quits international group of French-speaking nations

• Niger has announced its withdrawal from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIC), further distancing itself from France after last year’s military coup.

• The country was suspended from the OIC after the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, with the organization demanding a return to constitutional order.

• Niger’s military rulers have strengthened alliances with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Russia, while severing ties with France and leaving the West African bloc ECOWAS earlier this year.

• The move follows Niger’s broader shift away from French influence, including adopting a new national anthem that emphasizes anti-colonial struggle.

Politico / Poland accused of brutality as Belarus border crackdown escalates

• A new report by Oxfam and Egala details allegations of Polish border forces conducting brutal pushbacks against migrants, including beatings, exposure to extreme conditions, and denial of medical care.

• Despite human rights concerns, the EU has allocated €52 million to strengthen Poland’s border enforcement, citing hybrid threats from Belarus and Russia.

• Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk has maintained a hardline migration stance, reintroducing exclusion zones and refusing to comply with the EU Migration Pact, risking legal action from Brussels.

• Rights groups warn that EU funding for Poland’s border policies is setting a dangerous precedent, urging an end to support for pushback practices.

Our opinion reads for today:

• Foreign Affairs – Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar / Can Iran Save Itself?

• Project Syndicate – Boris Ruf / Why Frugal AI Alone Won’t Fix AI’s Energy Problem

By EsadeGeo:

• ABC - José María de Areilza / Atlantismo militante

• El Mundo - Juan Moscoso del Prado / Crecimiento, industria y comunidades

• Negocios TV / El renacimiento de la política industrial europea entrevista a Juan Moscoso, Senior Fellow en EsadeGeo.