Daily World Briefing, Aug. 18-Xinhua

Daily World Briefing, Aug. 18

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2025-08-18 08:02:15

European leaders, Zelensky to meet Trump in Washington

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday that she and other European leaders, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, will travel to Washington on Monday for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.

"At the request of President Zelensky, I will join the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow," von der Leyen wrote on social media platform X.

At a later press conference with Zelensky, von der Leyen said territorial decisions must be made by Ukraine, and these decisions cannot be taken without Ukraine at the table.

Israeli army chief says to begin Gaza City assault "soon"

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said on Sunday that the army will "soon" begin a new offensive to take over Gaza City, the Gaza Strip's largest urban center, despite international warnings about the consequences for the already devastated enclave.

Zamir made the remarks during a field tour in the strip, where he spoke with senior commanders and outlined plans for the next stage of fighting, the military said.

"Soon we will move on to the next phase of Operation Gideon's Chariots," he said, referring to Israel's resumption of its offensive in March after ending a ceasefire that had included a phased hostage release.

Thousands of Israelis protest, demand deal for hostages in Gaza

Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Sunday, demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secure a deal with Hamas to end the Gaza war and release the remaining hostages.

The day of strikes and nationwide protests came amid mounting public anger over government plans to launch a new offensive in the devastated Palestinian territory. Critics fear the operation, aimed at seizing Gaza City and central Gaza, could endanger the 49 hostages still held there.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which organized the demonstrations, stated that hundreds of thousands participated in rallies at more than 300 locations across the country.

42 killed by Israeli army across Gaza

At least 42 Palestinians were killed Sunday in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, Gaza's Civil Defense said.

Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal told Xinhua that seven people were killed in Israeli shelling near the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, and at least one person was killed in an Israeli shelling of a house in the Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of the city.

Four people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a tent housing displaced persons in west of Khan Younis, Basal said.

Yemen's Houthis claim retaliatory missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport

Yemen's Houthi group said on Sunday it had launched a hypersonic ballistic missile at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv in retaliation for an Israeli strike on a power station in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised address on the movement's al-Masirah TV that the missile successfully achieved its goal, forcing millions of Israelis to "rush to shelters and suspend the airport's operations."

He said the attack was in response to what he called Israel's "crimes of genocide and starvation in Gaza" and its "aggression against Yemen."

Chengdu World Games closes, highlighting inclusiveness, sustainability, innovation

Under the slogan "Boundless Sports, Countless Wonders," The World Games 2025 closed Sunday after 12 days of competition marked by inclusiveness and innovation.

"Over these unforgettable days, Chengdu has not only hosted the world - it has made the world feel at home," International World Games Association (IWGA) President Jose Perurena said at the closing ceremony.

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