Good morning, everyone—today is going to be a big day in pursuit of the truth. From Donald Trump’s trip to Scotland to the mass starvation crisis in Gaza to a whites only community expanding to Missouri, there is so much to cover.
Meanwhile, overnight, MAGA has once again tried targeting me and TikTok is back to censoring my content, giving me warnings and strikes. At a time when corporate news outlets are retreating in the face of authoritarian threats, fearless, independent journalism has never been more essential.
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With that, here’s the news:
Trump expressed disappointment in Vladimir Putin, stating he plans to shorten the 50-day period he previously allowed, as he believes he already knows what the outcome will be.
When asked if he agrees with Netanyahu's claim that there is no starvation in Gaza, Trump responded, "I don’t know. Based on television, I would say not particularly."
When asked whether he agrees with the UK prime minister’s statement that recognizing a Palestinian state would be a concrete step toward lasting peace, Trump replied that he is not taking a position on the matter. He added that he doesn’t mind the prime minister taking one, but his current priority is making sure people are fed, which he considers the number one issue.
Speaking about aid to Gaza, Trump noted that “We gave 60 million. No one said thank you. Somebody should say thank you.”
The white nationalist group Return to the Land (RTTL) is planning to expand from northern Arkansas to near Springfield, Missouri, promoting a “whites-only” community that excludes people of color and Jews.
Missouri Democrats and civil rights groups strongly condemned the move, calling RTTL a hate group and urging legal action to block its discriminatory practices.
The U.S. Justice Department has dropped multiple felony cases against LA protesters after federal officers were caught giving false or misleading testimony about arrests during immigration-related demonstrations; many cases lacked evidence or misidentified defendants, leading to a wave of dismissals and raising concerns about misuse of federal power to suppress dissent.
Isaiah Martin, the Texas Democrat detained by Republicans for speaking out against gerrymandering, has been released from custody. I was the first reporter to speak with him following his release:
Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is running for United States Senate. A major pickup opportunity for Democrats.
Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire after deadly border clashes displaced over 300,000 people; the deal followed mediation efforts led by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with support from the U.S., China, and Donald Trump, though experts warn the truce remains fragile.
Over 3,200 Boeing union workers at St. Louis-area fighter jet plants are set to strike on August 4 after overwhelmingly rejecting a proposed contract that included a 20% wage increase over four years; the union says the deal failed to meet workers’ priorities, while Boeing says no further talks are scheduled.
Qatar has gifted a Boeing aircraft to the U.S. Defense Department, intended to become the new Air Force One for President Trump; the deal, formalized in an "unconditional" memorandum, has sparked political controversy, with critics raising ethical concerns and the Air Force planning to spend up to $400 million on retrofitting the plane.
Gaza:
Two leading Israeli human rights groups, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing mass civilian deaths, destruction of infrastructure, and systemic targeting of Palestinians. They also say Israel's Western allies share responsibility and warn the violence could spread to the West Bank.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said yesterday’s aid deliveries to Gaza were just a “drop in the ocean” compared to what's needed. During the previous 42-day ceasefire, 600–700 aid trucks entered Gaza daily; only 120 got through yesterday.
He warned the next few days are “make or break” and emphasized the urgent need for faster, larger-scale aid.
Fletcher said much of the food delivered was looted by starving civilians, highlighting the desperation inside Gaza.
The UN could reach everyone in Gaza within weeks if granted full access and security, but current humanitarian pauses are too short.
He called for a sustained aid effort, a long-term ceasefire, and criticized the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for not distributing aid according to humanitarian principles.
See you this evening.
— Aaron
