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Netanyahu To Meet Trump As Israel, Hamas Eye Gaza Truce Talks

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet President Donald Trump on Tuesday, as Israel and Hamas say they are ready for negotiations on a new phase in their fragile Gaza ceasefire.

Netanyahu, the first foreign leader to visit the White House since Trump returned to power last month, will discuss the truce’s future and efforts to end the Gaza war.

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Hours before their meeting, Netanyahu’s office said Israel would send a delegation to the Qatari capital Doha later this week for negotiations.

Israel is preparing for the working-level delegation to leave for Doha at the end of this week in order to discuss technical details related to the continued implementation of the agreement,” the office said in a statement following meetings in Washington between Netanyahu and Trump’s advisors, including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Hamas has said it is ready to negotiate the second stage of the ceasefire, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.

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READ ALSO: Israeli Military Kills Palestinian Fighter In Gaza

The next phase aims to secure the release of remaining hostages and lay out steps toward ending the war, which has devastated the Palestinian territory of 2.4 million people.

– ‘No guarantees’ –

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The war broke out after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

Trump has repeatedly touted a plan to “clean out” Gaza, calling for Palestinians to move to neighbouring countries such as Egypt or Jordan, despite all those parties strongly rejecting his proposal.

Before leaving for Washington, Netanyahu said Israel’s wars with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and its confrontations with Iran had “redrawn the map” in the Middle East.

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But I believe that working closely with President Trump we can redraw it even further, and for the better,” he said.

The White House meeting promises to be a crucial one for a region shattered by war since Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel.

READ ALSO: Gaza Ceasefire: $10bn Needed To Restore Healthcare System — WHO

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Netanyahu hailed that he would be the first foreign leader to meet Trump since his January 20 inauguration as “testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance.”

The Israeli prime minister had tense relations with Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden over the growing death toll in Gaza, despite Biden’s steadfast maintenance of US military aid.

However, Trump, who has claimed credit for sealing the ceasefire after 15 months of war and prides himself on his dealmaking ability, will be pushing Netanyahu to stick to the agreement.

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He is also expected to lean on Netanyahu to accept a deal to normalise relations with Saudi Arabia, something he tried to do in his first term.

Trump said Sunday that talks with Israel and other Middle Eastern countries were “progressing” — but then warned less than 24 hours later that there were “no guarantees that the peace is going to hold.”

READ ALSO: Trump Talks Tough, Warns ‘All Hell Will Break Out’ If Gaza Hostages Aren’t Released Before His Inauguration

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– Unrest in West Bank –

Titkoff — who met Netanyahu on Monday over terms for the second phase of the truce — said however that he was “certainly hopeful” the truce would stick.

Trump’s sudden floating of a plan to move people out of Gaza — which he describes as a “demolition site” — has added uncertainty to an already tense and difficult situation.

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Trump said the plan could be temporary or permanent, but the mass displacement of civilians from Gaza was strongly rejected by Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinians and ceasefire mediator Qatar.

Under the Gaza ceasefire’s ongoing 42-day first phase, Hamas is to free 33 hostages in staggered releases in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Four hostage-prisoner exchanges have already taken place, and militants have freed 18 hostages so far in exchange for some 600 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

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READ ALSO: Trump Threatens BRICS With 100% Tariffs If They Replace Dollar

The truce has also led to a surge of food, fuel, medical and other aid into rubble-strewn Gaza, as well as allowing displaced Gazans to return to the territory’s north.

Hamas’s attack resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

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Israel’s retaliatory response has killed at least 47,518 people in Gaza, the majority civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN considers these figures as reliable.

Israel has turned its focus to the occupied West Bank and an operation it says is aimed at rooting out extremism that has killed dozens.

On Tuesday, the military said its forces killed an assailant who fired on troops near the city of Jenin in the West Bank.

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Popular Nail Polish Ingredient Banned Over Fertility Fears

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The European Union has outlawed the use of TPO in all cosmetic products as of September 1, citing evidence that it may cause long-term fertility problems. The move forces nail salons in all 27 EU countries, as well as Norway and others that follow EU rules, to stop offering TPO-based gels and safely dispose of their stock. Manufacturers will now be required to reformulate their products without the chemical.

TPO has been a staple in the beauty industry, used as a photoinitiator to harden polish quickly under ultraviolet light and give manicures a glossy, long-lasting finish. But while gel polish has been praised for staying chip-free for weeks, experts say the ingredient behind its durability may carry hidden dangers.

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READ ALSO:Lagos Enforces Ban, Seizes Single-use Plastics From Supermarkets

Industry insiders expect the UK and other countries to follow suit with a similar ban by late 2026. The US, however, has yet to propose any such restrictions, though American salons that import products from Europe could be affected.

This ingredient could not be defended. The industry was unable to prove there were no safer alternatives,” said Francesca Rapolla of the UK’s Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association.

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Still, not everyone agrees with the ban. Belgian retailer ASAP Nails and Beauty Supply warned of “major economic damage” to small businesses and argued there is “no human evidence of danger”. Meanwhile, US-based consultant Doug Schoon criticised the EU’s decision as “disproportionate”, saying it would waste safe products and undermine confidence in regulators.

READ ALSO:Firm Wants Attorney-General Investigate Court Ruling On Breach Of Contract

The controversy comes amid growing scrutiny of chemicals in everyday cosmetics. Experts warn that toxic compounds, including endocrine disruptors, may contribute to rising cases of infertility, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. One striking trend is the surge in endometriosis cases — a painful condition linked to infertility — as global cases have risen to nearly 190 million. Scientists believe endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates and now TPO could be a driving force.

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“These chemicals can linger in the body for years, stored in fatty tissue. They affect the immune system, disrupt hormones, and in some women, may trigger reproductive problems and endometriosis,” said Professor Katie Burns of the University of Cincinnati.

For now, Europe has chosen precaution over profit. The debate over TPO could prove a turning point in the battle over hidden toxins in beauty products — and their long-term toll on women’s health.

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Trump Threatens Severe Consequences Against ‘Wrongful’ Detention Of U.S. Nationals Abroad

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Trump threatens severe consequences against ‘wrongful’ detention of U.S. nationals abroad
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to protect U.S. nationals from what he termed “wrongful detention” abroad.

U.S. Department of State, in a statement issued on Friday, threatened severe consequences for those who “wrongfully” detain Americans abroad.

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“Today, President Trump signed an Executive Order that takes unprecedented action to impose new consequences on those who wrongfully detain Americans abroad,” the statement read.

READ ALSO:Why We Shun Pedestrian Bridges Despite Risks, Despite Punitive Measures — Lagosians

Through this Executive Order, actors designated as State Sponsors of Wrongful Detention may face severe penalties,” the statement added.

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The penalties include economic sanctions, visa restrictions, foreign assistance restrictions and travel restrictions for U.S. passport holders, according to the statement.

Like the State Sponsor of Terrorism determination, no nation should want to end up on this list.

READ ALSO:Trump Moves To Cut More Foreign Aid, Risking Shutdown

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The bottom line: Anyone who uses an American as a bargaining chip will pay the price.”

This administration is not only putting America first but also putting Americans first, the statement said

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Zelensky Responds To Putin’s Invite To Russia For Peace Talks

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to visit Moscow for peace talks over the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war.

According to the Russian government, President Putin is preparing to host Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, in Moscow.

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Presidential aide Dmitry Peskov confirmed the meeting during an interview with TASS at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) on Friday.

The Kremlin spokesman said Putin’s invitation to the Ukrainian leader was “to talk, not to surrender.”

READ ALSO:Russia Hits Out At Macron For Calling Putin ‘Ogre’

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Peskov noted that efforts to resolve the 42-month conflict are ongoing but declined to predict the outcome. He quoted Putin as saying, “There is light at the end of the tunnel.”

The Russian government says it aims to achieve its objectives in Ukraine through peaceful means but will continue its special military operation if no truce is reached.

When asked about a possible follow-up conversation between President Putin and President Donald Trump after their meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, Peskov said, “There are no developments yet.”

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He also spoke about US-Russia relations, saying “the process of bringing our relations out of complete paralysis will take time.” Peskov added that “much damage has been done to the architecture” of both countries’ ties, referring to years of diplomatic standoff under the previous US administration.

READ ALSO:Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Responding to the open invite during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after the Coalition of the Willing meeting, Zelensky said he can only be invited when Russia wants there to be no meeting.

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Speaking about the coalition meeting amid ongoing effort for peace in Ukraine, Zelensky said the meeting is necessary and “not about desire, but a real need.” He added that he supports any format for the talks—trilateral or bilateral—but believes Russia is trying to delay it.

The meeting is needed, this is not about desire, but it is needed. We supported it in any format: both trilateral and bilateral. I believe that Russia is doing everything to delay it. Our American partners told us that Putin invited me to Moscow. I think that when you want there to be no meeting, then you should invite me,” Zelensky said.

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