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Pro-Palestinian activists aboard a boat damaged in an alleged Israeli drone strike have allowed a Maltese surveyor to inspect the vessel and six crew members have agreed to disembark, Malta’s premier told parliament Monday.Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that Malta could tow the stricken Conscience to port for repairs once a maritime expert has been allowed to board the ship and study the results of Friday’s alleged attack.The Freedom Flotilla Coalition had hoped to pick up supporters, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, in Malta then sail on to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinian victims of Israel’s blockade of the territory and renewed military assault against the Hamas militant group.But, on Friday, a fire broke out on board the vessel after what the group says was a double drone strike, which the activists argue was most likely launched by Israel to halt or delay their mission.Neither Israel nor Malta, whose vessels intervened to help douse the fire, have confirmed the attack.But Abela promised that the Conscience will be allowed to continue on its mission once any necessary repairs are concluded. The Flotilla Coalition has welcomed the offer.”Six people on this ship made a request to come ashore to our country and then immediately leave to their countries,” Abela told parliament Monday. Previously, the international activists had resisted calls for them to abandon ship, fearing being forced to drop their mission. “This request was accepted immediately and those people are in the process of being transported to Malta by the Armed Forces of Malta, and they will catch a plane back to their country later today,” the premier said.Initially, Flotilla Coalition volunteers had said the surveyor would only be allowed on board if the ship was towed into Maltese territorial waters, but Abela said that was not acceptable, as Malta wanted to know more about the condition of the vessel before taking charge of its safety. Malta also refused a request that three individuals currently not on board be taken out to the Conscience with the inspector. “The ship’s captain now has accepted that the surveyor is allowed on board while the ship sits outside Malta’s territorial waters, and I’m informed that the surveyor is in process of arriving at the ship,” Abela said.During an online press conference on Sunday, before Monday’s departure of six crew members, the flotilla group said there were 18 people on board, 12 crew members and six “human rights observers”.- International waters -The activists explained the Conscience has no flag because the government of the Pacific nation of Palau had announced that they were withdrawing their registration on Friday, the day of the alleged strike.Otherwise, they insisted they had made every effort to comply with international maritime law when embarking on the mission to take aid to Palestinians in Gaza.According to the Flotilla Coalition, the Conscience was attacked in international waters, causing a fire that disabled the vessel and minor injuries to crew members.Online flight tracking service ADS-B Exchange showed that an Israeli C-130 military cargo plane had been in the area immediately before the incident and had made several low altitude sweeps over the area.Israel is known for conducting covert operations beyond its borders, including several during the Gaza war that it only acknowledged later.The activists said the strike appeared to target the boat’s generator.Thunberg told reporters that the incident should not distract from the focus of the boat’s mission to Gaza.”What we are doing here is to try our very best to use all the means that we have to do our part, to keep trying to break the inhumane and illegal siege on Gaza and to open up humanitarian corridors,” she said.

The top United Nations court on Monday threw out Sudan’s case against the United Arab Emirates over alleged complicity in genocide during the brutal Sudanese civil war.Sudan had taken the UAE to the International Court of Justice over its alleged support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), saying it was contributing to a genocide — accusations denied by the Emiratis.But the ICJ said it “manifestly lacked” jurisdiction to rule on the case and threw out it out.When the UAE signed up to the UN’s Genocide Convention in 2005, it entered a “reservation” to a key clause that allows countries to sue others at the ICJ over disputes.This reservation meant the ICJ did not have the power to intervene in the case.A UAE official hailed the judges’ ruling.”This decision is a clear and decisive affirmation of the fact that this case was utterly baseless,” Reem Ketait, deputy assistant minister for political affairs at the UAE foreign ministry, said in a statement to AFP.Before the ruling, Ketait had accused Sudan of lodging the case in a “cynical attempt to divert attention from their own brutal record of atrocities against Sudanese civilians”.Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.The war has triggered what aid agencies call the world’s largest displacement, and hunger crises. Famine has officially hit five areas across Sudan, according to a UN-backed assessment.The North Darfur region has been a particular battleground, with at least 542 civilians killed in the past three weeks, according to the United Nations.The ICJ said it was “deeply concerned about the unfolding human tragedy in Sudan that forms the backdrop to the present dispute”.”The violent conflict has a devastating effect, resulting in untold loss of life and suffering, in particular in West Darfur,” the court added.As the court found that it lacked jurisdiction to go forward with Sudan’s legal action, it did not rule on the fundamental merits of the case.The court noted that: “Whether or not states have accepted the jurisdiction of the court… they are required to comply with their obligations (to the Genocide Convention).”Countries also “remain responsible for acts attributable to them which are contrary to their international obligations”.A handful of pro-Sudan protesters staged a demonstration outside the Peace Palace, the seat of the ICJ in The Hague, shouting and brandishing banners including one that read “UAE kills Sudan”.”We feel completely disappointed… We only ask for justice,” said one protester, Hisham Fadl Akasha, a 57-year-old engineer.The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (RWCHR), based in Montreal, called the ICJ’s decision “a travesty”.”Today, one can only feel shocked -– if not betrayed -– by the ongoing level of indifference and impunity in the face of another genocide that is being effectively silenced and sanitised,” RWCHR founder Irwin Cotler said in a statement.- ‘Reparations’ demanded -During hearings on the case last month, Sudan’s acting justice minister Muawia Osman told the court the “ongoing genocide would not be possible without UAE complicity, including the shipment of arms to the RSF”.”The direct logistical and other support that the UAE has provided and continues to provide to the RSF has been and continues to be the primary driving force behind the genocide now taking place, including killing, rape, forced displacement and looting,” said Osman.Khartoum had urged the ICJ judges to force the UAE to stop its alleged support for the RSF and make “full reparations”, including compensation to victims of the war.While the ICJ has rejected Sudan’s case, the bloody conflict in Sudan shows no sign of easing.On Sunday, the RSF struck Port Sudan, the army said, in the first attack on the seat of the army-aligned government during the country’s two-year war.

A deadly shooting Monday at a Damascus club, days after another attack on the capital’s nightlife, has sparked fears, adding to concerns that personal freedoms may be restricted under Syria’s Islamist authorities.Since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, the international community has been pressing the new authorities to respect personal freedoms, protect minorities and include all components of society in its transition.The perpetrators of Monday’s shooting at the Karawan nightclub or the motives were unknown. Authorities have announced arrests after an incident at a nearby venue last week, without identifying the suspects.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said gunmen attacked Karawan “with automatic weapons and opened fire, killing a woman and wounding others”.Damascus Governor Maher Marwan confirmed “the death of a young woman”, condemning the incident and vowing to “hold those who disrupt the city’s security to account”.Karawan is located in a commercial area in the heart of Damascus, where many licensed nightclubs and bars have been operating for decades.Aram, 33, who works for a non-government organisation in Damascus, said partying was normally “my way to unwind and escape life’s pressures”.But “from now on, I’ll be careful… It’s not worth the risk,” he told AFP, declining to provide his surname.- ‘Chaos’ -A witness, requesting anonymity for security reasons, said he “heard gunfire at dawn” from the club, which is located on the ground floor of a building also home to offices.He told AFP that he “did not dare to enter the club until some time after the firing stopped”.Inside, “I saw a woman’s body, blood stains on the ground, and chaos after the shooting,” he said.A resident of the street said security forces had been monitoring the venue from a vehicle for days.Syria’s new authorities have sought to reassure the population and the international community that the jihadist origins of the forces who toppled Assad are confined to the past, and to present a governance model of openness and flexibility.But sectarian massacres on the Mediterranean coast in March saw security forces and allied groups kill more than 1,700 civilians, mostly Alawites, according to the Observatory, while deadly sectarian clashes last week involving the Druze minority killed around 120.The bloodshed has raised questions over whether the authorities, who must contend with pressures from radical Islamists within their ranks, can effectively maintain security and control affiliated fighters.- ‘People are scared’ -The nightclub incidents have raised fears of further attacks on Damascus’s nightlife scene.Hours before Monday’s shooting, a video circulated on social media showing security camera footage from last week’s attack on a nightclub in the same area.The footage, verified by AFP, shows gunmen entering the venue before beating fleeing men and women with their weapons.Authorities said on Sunday that those involved in the first incident had been arrested.In Damascus’s Old City, dozens of cafes and bars, many serving alcohol, have been operating largely as usual since Assad’s ousting.One bar patron, requesting anonymity due to the security situation, said bars emptied out or closed when clashes or security incidents occurred.Last week, a party featuring a young female vocalist ran into the early hours, with dozens of Syrians and foreigners dancing to Western music, an AFP correspondent said.But after Monday’s attack, one bar owner in the Old City, requesting anonymity, said they decided to close “for three days until we see what happens”.Customers including a wedding party have cancelled their reservations as “the mood is not right for partying,” the venue owner said.”People are scared.”

Yemen’s Huthis on Monday accused the United States of carrying out fresh strikes in and around Sanaa, after the Iran-backed rebels claimed a missile strike on Israel’s main airport.The Huthi-run Saba news agency said the strikes included two on Arbaeen Street in the capital and the airport road, blaming them on “American aggression”.Sixteen people were wounded, Saba cited the Iran-backed rebels’ health ministry as saying. The rebels’ Al-Masirah TV later reported another three strikes in Sanaa and seven in the northern governorate of Al-Jawf.The accusations came after Israel said a missile fired from Yemen on Sunday struck inside the perimeter of Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv for the first time.The Huthis claimed responsibility, saying they fired a “hypersonic ballistic missile” at Ben Gurion, Israel’s main international gateway.The rebels “will work to impose a comprehensive air blockade on the Israeli enemy by repeatedly targeting airports, most notably… Ben Gurion Airport”, they said in a statement.The missile gouged a wide crater in the ground near an airport parking lot, injuring six people and forcing airlines to suspend flights.The Huthis, who control swathes of Yemen including the capital, have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a tough response against the Huthis, as well as its main backer Iran, over the attack.In a video published on Telegram, Netanyahu said Israel had “acted against” the Huthis in the past and “will act in the future”.”It will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs,” he added, without elaborating. On social media platform X, Netanyahu said Israel would also respond to Iran at “a time and place of our choosing”.Hours later, the Huthis threatened to launch more such strikes and warned airlines to cancel their flights to Israeli airports.- Iran denial -Iran on Monday denied supporting the attack, calling it an “independent decision” by the Yemeni rebels taken in solidarity with the Palestinian people.Reacting to Netanyahu’s threats, the Islamic republic warned it would retaliate against any attack on its territory.”Iran underlines (its) firm determination… to defend itself,” the Iranian foreign ministry said, warning Israel and the United States of “consequences”.Following Sunday’s attack, an Israeli police video showed officers standing on the edge of a wide hole in the ground.”You can see the area just behind us: a crater was formed here, several dozen metres wide and several dozen metres deep,” central Israel’s police chief, Yair Hezroni, said in the recording.”This is the first time” that a missile has directly struck inside the airport perimeter, an Israeli military spokesperson told AFP.Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service said it had treated at least six people with light to moderate injuries.An AFP journalist inside the airport during the attack said he heard a “loud bang” at around 9:35 am (0635 GMT), adding that the “reverberation was very strong”.”Security staff immediately asked hundreds of passengers to take shelter, some in bunkers,” the journalist said.- ‘Panic’ -Flights resumed after being halted briefly, with the aviation authority saying on Sunday that Ben Gurion was “open and operational”.On Monday, Israel’s security cabinet approved the expansion of military operations in Gaza including the “conquest” of the Palestinian territory, after the army called up tens of thousands of reservists for the offensive.An Israeli official said the plan for expanded operations “will include, among other things, the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories, moving the Gaza population south for their protection”.US strikes on Yemen’s Huthi rebels began under former president Joe Biden, but have intensified under his successor Donald Trump.

Israel’s security cabinet approved the expansion of military operations in Gaza including the “conquest” of the Palestinian territory, an official said Monday, after the army called up tens of thousands of reservists for the offensive.It comes as the United Nations and aid organisations have repeatedly warned of the humanitarian catastrophe on the ground, with famine again looming after more than two months of a total Israeli blockade.The Israeli official said the expanded operations “will include, among other things, the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories, moving the Gaza population south for their protection”.A different senior security official said “a central component of the plan is a large-scale evacuation of the entire Gazan population from the fighting zones… to areas in southern Gaza”.The plan, approved by the cabinet overnight, comes amid a push by Israel for Palestinians to leave the territory.A “voluntary transfer program for Gaza residents… will be part of the operation’s goals,” the senior security official added. The European Union voiced concern and urged restraint from Israel, saying the plan “will result in further casualties and suffering for the Palestinian people”.Israel resumed major operations across Gaza on March 18 amid deadlock over how to proceed with a two-month ceasefire that had largely halted the war with Hamas, which was sparked by the militants’ October 2023 attack.Israel has since carried out intensive aerial bombardments and expanded ground operations across the Palestinian territory. Gaza rescuers on Monday said Israeli air strikes killed at least 19 people.-‘Sacrificing hostages’-Most of Gaza’s population had resided in the north of the territory and nearly all have been displaced at least once during the war.The cabinet, which includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several ministers, “unanimously approved” the plan aimed at defeating Hamas and securing the return of hostages held in the territory.The official source said the plan included “powerful strikes against Hamas”, without specifying their nature.”I think, as an Israeli citizen, that it’s a smart move to finally address the root problem properly”, public employee Yossi Gershon, 36, told AFP. “All the steps of backing down -— we can see that unfortunately, there really isn’t peace with the other people.”The senior security source said the troop deployment would “allow a window of opportunity” for a possible hostage deal coinciding with US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the Middle East in mid-May.The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Sunday that at least 2,459 people had been killed since Israel resumed its campaign on March 18, bringing the overall death toll from the war to 52,567.Hamas’s attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Militants also abducted 251 people, 58 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.Israel says its renewed offensive is aimed at forcing Hamas to free its remaining captives, although critics charge that it puts them in mortal danger.- ‘Political blackmail’ -“It is a thoughtless way of endangering more lives on both sides”, student Tamar Lazarow, 59, told AFP.”Enough innocent people have died… I do not really trust our government to make decisions coming from the right place.”An Israeli campaign group representing the relatives of hostages said the plan for an expanded offensive was “sacrificing” those held in Gaza.Alongside the plan for the expansion of the war, Netanyahu “continues to promote” a proposal by Trump for the departure of Gazans to neighbouring countries, the official said.The US president’s plan, unveiled in early February, has been rejected by Arab nations and governments around the world and the Palestinians. Israel’s security cabinet also approved the “possibility of humanitarian distribution, if necessary” in Gaza, “to prevent Hamas from taking control of the supplies and to destroy its governance capabilities”.Israel has accused the Palestinian militant group of diverting aid, which Hamas denies.A grouping of UN agencies and aid groups in the Palestinian territory has said Israel is seeking to “shut down the existing aid distribution system… and have us agree to deliver supplies through Israeli hubs under conditions set by the Israeli military”. The plan “contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles and appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic –- as part of a military strategy”, the bodies said in a statement. Hamas said Monday the new Israeli aid framework amounted to “political blackmail”.Israel’s cabinet said there was “currently enough food” in Gaza.dms-lba-acc-csp/ysm

Shares in US film studios slid on Monday following a threat by US President Donald Trump to impose 100 percent tariffs on foreign-made productions.Meanwhile oil prices slumped after OPEC+ countries announced an output hike despite oversupply concerns and growing fears that Trump’s trade war could weaken demand.Globally, stock markets were mixed in holiday-thinned trading ahead of central bank decisions on interest rates later in the week.On Wall Street, the Dow edged higher in midday trading but the S&P 500 was down, putting a nine-day winning streak in peril. US stocks are coming off two strong weeks, with gains last Friday driven by strong jobs data and improving sentiment about US-China trade talks. Shares in Berkshire Hathaway fell around five percent after influential billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Saturday that he would retire from leading the firm he built into a conglomerate worth more than $1 trillion.Shares in entertainment firms slid after Trump said Sunday he was ordering new tariffs on all films made outside the United States, claiming Hollywood was being “devastated” by a trend of US filmmakers and studios working abroad.Shares in Lionsgate studios dropped more than five percent, while Netflix, whose foreign productions for its subsidiaries have often become popular globally, saw its shares fall around two percent.Shares in Disney, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery were also lower in midday trading.In Europe, Paris ended lower while Frankfurt climbed as Germany’s conservatives and centre-left Social Democrats reached a coalition deal for governing.London was closed for a public holiday, as were Tokyo and Hong Kong in Asia.Investors are waiting for interest rate decisions this week, with the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England holding policy meetings on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.”Our US economists expect the Fed to keep rates steady and avoid explicit forward guidance about the policy path ahead,” Deutsche Bank analysts said.The dollar fell against other major currencies.- Brent below $60 per barrel -Meanwhile oil prices fell sharply after Saudi Arabia, Russia and six other members of the OPEC+ oil cartel announced an output increase of 411,000 barrels a day for June, a month after a similar move had already caused prices to fall.Crude prices fell almost four percent before paring back some losses, with the Brent international benchmark falling below $60 per barrel for the first time since 2020.The price of crude has also been sliding because of fears of a global economic slowdown on the back of Trump’s tariff onslaught.Analysts were still trying to pinpoint the oil cartel’s motivation.”The weekend news wasn’t a shocker but the reasons behind the move remain uncertain,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.”The official communication says the group is bringing barrels back to the market because ‘fundamentals are healthy and inventories are low’,” Ozkardeskaya said.”Yet global growth expectations have been crumbling due to a heated trade war between the US and the rest of the world, and rising output only worsens oversupply concerns. So the real reason must be something else,” she added.She said some argued that the Saudis were “punishing” OPEC members who had not complied fully with the previous policy of cutting production.Other theories include that Trump has pressed for lower oil prices to hurt Russian finances and speed up the end of the Ukraine war, or that Riyadh wants to push out US shale businesses and increase its market share.”We don’t know for sure. The exact motive remains unclear,” Ozkardeskaya said.- Key figures at around 1530 GMT -West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 3.0 percent at $56.53 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 3.0 percent at $59.61 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP less than 0.1 percent at 41,354.62 pointsNew York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.3 percent at 5,667.67New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 17,889.91Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.6 percent at 7,727.93 (close) Frankfurt – DAX: UP 1.1 percent at 23,344.54 (close)London – FTSE 100: closed for holidayTokyo – Nikkei 225: closed for holidayHong Kong – Hang Seng Index: closed for holiday Shanghai – Composite: closed for holidayEuro/dollar: UP at $1.1332 from $1.1299 on FridayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3297 from $1.3268Dollar/yen: DOWN at 143.76 yen from 144.97Euro/pound: UP at 85.21 pence from 85.14burs-rl/js

Oil prices slumped on Monday after OPEC+ countries announced a production hike despite oversupply concerns and growing fears that US President Donald Trump’s trade war could weaken demand.Stock markets were mostly down in holiday-thinned trading ahead of central bank decisions later in the week, while shares in film companies fell after Trump announced tariffs on movies made outside the United States.Saudi Arabia, Russia and six other members of the oil cartel announced over the weekend an output increase of 411,000 barrels a day for June, a month after a similar move had already caused prices to fall.The price of crude has also been sliding because of fears of a global economic slowdown on the back of Trump’s tariff onslaught.The OPEC+ move “confirms a stark turnaround away from the production cuts that have persisted since 2022″, said a Deutsche Bank research note.Oil prices fell almost four percent before paring back some losses. Brent, the international benchmark, briefly fell below $60 per barrel for the first time since 2020.Analysts were still trying to pinpoint the oil cartel’s motivation.”The weekend news wasn’t a shocker but the reasons behind the move remain uncertain,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.”The official communication says the group is bringing barrels back to the market because ‘fundamentals are healthy and inventories are low’,” Ozkardeskaya said.”Yet global growth expectations have been crumbling due to a heated trade war between the US and the rest of the world, and rising output only worsens oversupply concerns. So the real reason must be something else,” she added.She said some argued that the Saudis were “punishing” OPEC members who had not complied fully with the previous policy of cutting production.Other theories include that Trump has pressed for lower oil prices to hurt Russian finances and speed up the end of the Ukraine war, or that Riyadh wants to push out US shale businesses and increase its market share.”We don’t know for sure. The exact motive remains unclear,” Ozkardeskaya said.- Fed move -On stock markets, Wall Street’s three main indices slid lower at the opening bell.US stocks are coming off two strong weeks, with gains last Friday driven by strong jobs data and improving sentiment about US-China trade talks.Shares in Berkshire Hathaway fell more than five percent after influential billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Saturday he would retire from leading the firm which he built into a conglomerate worth more than $1 trillion.Shares in entertainment firms slid after Trump said Sunday he was ordering new tariffs on all films made outside the United States, claiming Hollywood was being “devastated” by a trend of US filmmakers and studios working abroad.Shares in Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery were down around three percent, while Lionsgate fell more than five percent.Shares in Paramount dropped more than two percent and Disney 1.5 percent.In Europe, Paris was down in afternoon deals while Frankfurt pushed higher.London was closed for a public holiday, as were Tokyo and Hong Kong in Asia.Investors are waiting for interest rate decisions this week, with the US Federal Reserve and Bank of England holding policy meetings on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.”Our US economists expect the Fed to keep rates steady and avoid explicit forward guidance about the policy path ahead,” Deutsche Bank analysts said.The dollar fell against other major currencies.But the Australian dollar gained against the US dollar after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s election victory on Saturday, while the S&P/ASX 200 fell almost one percent.- Key figures at around 1330 GMT -West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.7 percent at $57.29 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.5 percent at $60.37 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 41,107.23 pointsNew York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.7 percent at 5,647.28New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.8 percent at 17,832.95Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.6 percent at 7,726.57 Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.8 percent at 23,273.07London – FTSE 100: closed for holidayTokyo – Nikkei 225: closed for holidayHong Kong – Hang Seng Index: closed for holiday Shanghai – Composite: closed for holidayEuro/dollar: UP at $1.1359 from $1.1299 on FridayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3329 from $1.3268Dollar/yen: DOWN at 143.67 yen from 144.97Euro/pound: UP at 85.21 pence from 85.14burs-rl/lth