US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House ahead of his trip to Scotland on Friday, said that Hamas did not want to release the remaining hostages and was not interested in making a peace deal. He claimed that Hamas "didn't want to make a deal" and suggested that the group's leaders "want to die."

Trump also mentioned that Hamas was not willing to negotiate because they "know what happens after you get the final hostages." He added that Israel would have to "finish the job" and "fight and clean it up" Trump's comments came after the US and Israel pulled their negotiators from Gaza talks, citing Hamas's lack of good faith.

The U.S. president also criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for announcing France's intention to recognize Palestine as a state, stating, "I’m not with France," saying that Macron's statement to that effect carries no weight.

Trump also reiterated his stance on various issues, including potential sanctions against Russia, trade negotiations, and his views on international relations.

He emphasized that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "will happen," despite the Kremlin ruling out such talks in the near term.

The U.S. Preisent also renewed his threat to impose "secondary sanctions" on Russia, which would penalize countries and entities doing business with the country.

Responding to a reporter's question, Trump mentioned that he has not yet considered granting a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell, a former associate of Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump also expressed optimism about the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates following his meeting with Fed Chair Jerome H. Powell.

The President also addressed trade relations, stating that the U.S. may not reach a new trade deal with Canada and could impose higher tariffs on Canadian exports, citing national security concerns related to fentanyl trafficking. He emphasized that the U.S. would impose 35% tariffs on Canadian goods starting August 1, unless a deal is reached. 

Furthermore, Trump indicated plans to meet with European Union representatives to negotiate a major trade agreement, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expected to attend.

The U.S. president also spoke to reporters after arriving in Glasgow, Scotland where he emphasized his views on immigration and windmills, and mentioned his planned meetings with UK and Scottish leaders.

During his remarks in Glasgow, Trump stated, "I say two things to Europe: Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries. You fly over and you see these windmills, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys. Killing your birds...ruining your oceans." He also addressed immigration, saying, "You've got to get your act together. You're not going to have Europe anymore. You gotta get to get your act together."

Trump further mentioned his intention to meet with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish First Minister John Swinney, stating, "I like your Prime Minister. He's slightly more liberal than I am, as you've probably heard, but he's a good man, he got a trade deal done." He also highlighted his golf courses in Scotland, saying, "The best course anywhere in the world is Turnberry. The players all want to be at Turnberry, everyone wants to be at Turnberry. It would be the best place anywhere in your country, there's no place like it"

The latest military escalation between Thailand and Cambodia along their disputed border which began Thursday, has marked the most severe confrontation between the two nations in over a decade, with dozens killed and tens of thousands displaced. Both sides are exchanging artillery, rockets, and airstrikes.

Cambodia has been accused of firing rockets into a Thai village and attacking a hospital, while Thailand has carried out air strikes on Cambodian military targets.

Thai F-16 fighter jets conducted airstrikes on Cambodian military targets, while Cambodia fired rockets and artillery into Thai territory. The fighting occurred in at least six areas, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple.

Cambodia on Friday accused Thailand of using banned cluster munitions at a border area within Cambodian territory, in what it said was a repeat of "brutal tactics" Thailand employed during clashes in 2011. 

Thailand has closed its entire border with Cambodia after telling all its nationals there to leave. The checkpoint at Chanthaburi has been temporarily opened for cross-border movement from 09:00 to 15:00 daily. Cambodia has in turn downgraded its ties with Bangkok which they accuse of using "excessive force."

Both countries expelled each other's ambassadors, and Cambodia downgraded its diplomatic ties with Thailand, accusing it of "excessive force."

More than 2,000 Cambodians have returned to their home country via the Thai town of Chanthaburi.

Droves of people have crowded up the checkpoint, waiting for their turn to cross over, photographs published by Bangkok Post show. Also seen there are trucks piled high with bags and boxes of belongings.

Thai authorities have denied Cambodia's allegations that its army bombed Preah Vihear Temple, a Unesco World Heritage Site that both countries had laid claim to before an ICC ruling that gave Cambodia sovereignity over it.

"The accusation by the Cambodian side that Preah Vihear Temple was damaged by the Thai attack is a clear distortion of the facts," the Thai army said on Friday.

Cambodia had accused Thailand of causing "significant damage" to the site with its "indiscriminate attacks, involving shelling and aerial bombardment".

Unesco has several conventions in place to prevent damage and destruction to sites it recognises.

"Thailand's aggressive actions not only endanger sites that form part of the shared heritage of humanity, but also reflect a blatant disregard for its international legal obligations," Phnom Penh had said.

In several strongly-worded posts on social media on Thursday, Thailand's suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra condemned what she called Cambodia's "act of aggression" along the Thai border.

"The current situation is no longer about diplomacy or negotiation," she said in one of them.

Thailand had earlier "made every effort to engage in diplomatic dialogue", she said, adding that she "fully supports all responsive actions" taken by Thai authorities.

Thailand's acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai on Friday warned that the conflict "could escalate into a state of war" - notable escalation of his rhetoric from Thursday, when he described the situation as a "clash".

The confrontation now involves heavy weapons, he added. Cambodia has meanwhile accused Thailand of using banned cluster munitions at a border area within Cambodian territory.

Thailand's foreign ministry said that it is against third-party mediation of its conflict with neighbour Cambodia. The chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, had earlier offered to facilitate talks between the two countries.

The long-running dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century, when the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.

The conflict is rooted in a century-old dispute over the border, particularly around the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos meet. The dispute has flared up periodically, with the most recent escalation following a landmine explosion that injured five Thai soldiers.

Things officially became hostile in 2008, when Cambodia tried to register an 11th Century temple located in the disputed area as a Unesco World Heritage Site - a move that was met with heated protest from Thailand.

Over the years there have been sporadic clashes that have seen soldiers and civilians killed on both sides.

The latest tensions ramped up in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash. This plunged bilateral ties to their lowest point in more than a decade.

In the past two months, both countries have imposed border restrictions on one another. They have each also strengthened troop presence along the border.

Brewing tensions erupted into a deadly battle at the border on Thursday, with Thailand and Cambodia each accusing the other of firing the first shots.

Several countries have warned against travelling to areas close to the Thai-Cambodian border in light of the ongoing clashes.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office specified the Preah Vihear, Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples among places that have been in dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.

"Take extra care when traveling in this area, and follow the instructions of the local authorities," the office said.

Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the US have also updated their travel advisories to urge travellers to avoid areas where troops are engaged in armed conflict.

Hong Kong and China have issued amber alerts, the lowest of three levels used for places with "signs of threat."

The US, China, Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have all called for the fighting to stop.

The UN Secretary-General urged both sides to exercise restraint and resolve the issue through dialogue. Cambodia requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, which was held behind closed doors in New York.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, have filed a defamation lawsuit in the U.S. against conservative commentator Candace Owens over her repeated claims that Brigitte is "in fact a man." The lawsuit, filed in Delaware Superior Court, includes 22 counts against Owens, including defamation, false light, and defamation by implication.

The Macrons allege that Owens has waged a "campaign of global humiliation" to promote her podcast and expand her "frenzied" fan base. The lawsuit also claims that Owens spread "verifiably false and devastating lies," including that Brigitte Macron stole another person's identity and transitioned to female, and that the Macrons are blood relatives committing incest.

Owens' investigative series Becoming Brigitte explored the bizarre circumstances and questions surrounding Brigitte's gender and marriage to Macron.

Macron was 15-years-old and Brigitte who was his teacher, was 40-years-old, when they allegedly started having an affair.

Responding to the lawsuit on her podcast Wednesday, Candace refused to retract her claims and called the lawsuit a "foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist." She stated that she would continue to express her views on her show.

“You are a very goofy man, Brigitte. But I’ve got to give it to you, you’ve definitely got balls,” Owens said. “Fire everyone around you who said this was a very good idea for you to be the first sitting first lady of a country to file a lawsuit against a journalist in another country.”

Owens went on to argue that the lawsuit against her is an “obvious and desperate public relations strategy,” and that it is “beyond obvious” that the French First Lady “has a penis.”

She also emphasized that her requests to interview Brigitte Macron for her investigative series were denied, saying her team was “unwilling to answer yes or no questions that we emailed to them.”

Owens claimed the Macrons are actually defaming her in their lawsuit and declaring she will see them in court.

In a recent development, a French court overturned the ruling against two women who were sued by Brigitte Macron for defamation after they claimed she was "born a man." This decision came after the women, Amandine Roy and Natacha Rey, had been previously convicted and ordered to pay damages.

The Paris Appeal Court ruled that their statements constituted "good faith" free speech, thereby acquitting them of the charges. The court's ruling means they no longer have to pay anything and can continue to make their allegations. Brigitte has appealed the decision.