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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he was open to a “temporary ceasefire” in Gaza, as international pressure intensified over Israel’s renewed offensive and aid blockade in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.”If there is an option for a temporary ceasefire to free hostages, we’ll be ready,” Netanyahu said, noting that at least 20 hostages held by Hamas and its allies were still believed to be alive.But he reaffirmed that the Israeli military aimed to bring all of Gaza under its control by the end of its operation.”We must avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action,” he said.His remarks came hours after Israeli troops fired what the army called “warning shots” near a delegation of foreign diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank, triggering global condemnation and fresh diplomatic tension.The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israeli forces of “deliberately targeting by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation” near the flashpoint city of Jenin.A European diplomat said the group had travelled to the area to witness the destruction caused by months of Israeli military raids.The Israeli army said “the delegation deviated from the approved route” and entered a restricted zone.Troops opened fire to steer the group away, it said, adding no injuries were reported and expressing regret for the “inconvenience caused”.The incident drew condemnation from Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, Uruguay and the European Union.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on Israel to investigate the shots and to hold those responsible “accountable”.- ‘Unbearable’ -Anger mounted over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Palestinians are scrambling for basic supplies after weeks of near-total isolation.Palestinian rescue teams said overnight Israeli strikes had killed at least 19 people, including a week-old baby.A two-month total blockade was only partially eased this week, with aid allowed into the territory for the first time since March 2, a move leading to critical food and medicine shortages.Israel said 100 trucks with aid entered Gaza on Wednesday through the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel, following 93 the day before which the United Nations has said had been held up.Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary general, said that as of 1600 GMT Wednesday “none of the supplies have been able to leave the Kerem Shalom loading area” due to security concerns.Humanitarian groups have said that the amount falls far short of what is required to ease the crisis.A US-backed private group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, that will use contractors, said meanwhile that it will start moving aid into the territory in “coming days”. The United Nations and traditional agencies have said they will not cooperate with the foundation which some have accused of working with Israel.The GHF has said it will distribute some 300 million meals in its first 90 days of operation.Umm Talal al-Masri, 53, a displaced Palestinian in Gaza City, described the situation as “unbearable”.”No one is distributing anything to us. Everyone is waiting for aid, but we haven’t received anything,” she said.”We’re grinding lentils and pasta to make some loaves of bread, and we barely manage to prepare one meal a day.”- Pressure on Israel -The army stepped up its offensive at the weekend, vowing to defeat Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.Israel has faced massive pressure, including from traditional allies, to halt its expanded offensive and allow aid into Gaza.European Union foreign ministers agreed on Tuesday to review the bloc’s cooperation accordi, which includes trade, with Israel.Israel’s foreign ministry has said the EU action “reflects a total misunderstanding of the complex reality Israel is facing”.Sweden said it would press the 27-nation bloc to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers, while Britain suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador.Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as “worrying and painful” and called for “the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid”.Germany defended a key EU-Israel cooperation deal as “an important forum that we must use in order to discuss critical questions” over the situation in Gaza.In Gaza, Israel resumed its operations across the territory on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire.Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the military says are dead.Gaza’s health ministry said Tuesday at least 3,509 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,655.In neighbouring Lebanon, authorities said Israeli strikes killed three people on Wednesday as Israel said it targeted Hamas’s allies Hezbollah in the south — the latest in a series of attacks despite a ceasefire with the Iran-backed militant group.

Several nations that have backed Israel voiced outrage Wednesday after Israeli troops fired what they called “warning shots” as foreign diplomats visited the occupied West Bank.The Palestinian Authority accused troops of “deliberately” shooting at the delegation near the flashpoint city of Jenin. The Israeli military, already under pressure over its tactics in the Gaza war, said it regretted the “inconvenience”.AFP footage from Jenin — a frequent target of Israeli military raids — showed the delegation and accompanying journalists running for cover as shots were heard.A European diplomat said the diplomats went to the area to see the destruction caused by Israeli military raids since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023.The Israeli military said the diplomatic convoy strayed from the approved route and entered a restricted zone.Troops fired “warning shots” to steer the group away, it said, adding that no one was injured and expressing regret for the “inconvenience caused”.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman called the incident “unacceptable”.”Diplomats who are doing their work should never be shot at, attacked in any way, shape or form. Their safety, their viability, must be respected at all times,” the spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, told reporters.”These diplomats, including UN personnel, were fired at, warning shots or whatever… which is unacceptable.”- Countries condemn shooting -Several countries that had representatives in the group voiced outrage and demanded an investigation.European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged Israel to hold those responsible “accountable”.Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Uruguay summoned Israel’s ambassadors or said they would raise the issue directly.Egypt denounced the shooting as a breach of “all diplomatic norms”, while Turkey demanded an immediate investigation.Turkey’s foreign ministry said: “This attack must be investigated without delay and the perpetrators must be held accountable.”Ahmad al-Deek, political adviser for the Palestinian foreign ministry who accompanied the delegation, condemned “this reckless act by the Israeli army”.”It has given the diplomatic delegation an impression of the life the Palestinian people are living,” he said.Palestinian news agency Wafa reported the delegation included diplomats from more than 20 countries including Britain, China, Egypt, France, Jordan, Turkey and Russia.- ‘Unbearable’ Gaza plight -The incident came as anger mounted over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Palestinians are scrambling for basic supplies after weeks of near-total isolation.A two-month Israeli aid blockade on Gaza has been partially eased this week.Israel stepped up its military offensive at the weekend, vowing to defeat Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.Israel has faced massive pressure, including from its allies, to halt its intensified offensive and allow aid into Gaza.European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday ordered a review of the EU cooperation accord with Israel.Sweden said it would press the EU to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers, while Britain suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador.Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as “worrying and painful” and called for “the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid”.Hamas’s 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the military says are dead.Gaza’s health ministry said Tuesday at least 3,509 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,655.burs-dv/rlp/tw

Wall Street stocks tumbled Wednesday along with the dollar as a bond sell-off signaled investor unease while Congress weighs a tax-cut bill that could push up the US deficit.The yield on the 10-year US Treasury note approached 4.6 percent, its highest level since February, as Trump seeks to unify Republicans in the House of Representatives …

Dollar, US bonds under pressure as Trump pushes tax bill Read More »

A member of Irish rap group Kneecap has been charged with a terror offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London concert, police said on Wednesday.Liam O’Hanna, 27, known by his stage name Mo Chara, is accused of showing support for the Lebanese militant group, who are proscribed by British authorities, during a performance on November 21. London’s Metropolitan Police said officers from its Counter Terrorism Command launched an investigation after a video of the event surfaced online in April.O’Hanna is accused of displaying a flag “in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation” in contravention of the 2000 Terrorism Act.The rapper, from Belfast, is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 18, police said.The group had been scheduled to perform at a festival in London on Friday.The charge follows growing scrutiny of Kneecap’s performances after footage circulated online showing provocative political statements made by the band on stage.One video appeared to show a band member shouting: “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah.”Those groups, in Gaza and in Lebanon, are banned as terror organisations in the UK and it is a crime to express support for them.- Censorship debate -The band, known for its confrontational style and Irish nationalist messaging, has denied supporting violence or banned groups.It said video footage had been “deliberately taken out of context”.The backlash led to the cancellation of several of the group’s shows, including in southwest England and Germany.The group’s songs include “Get Your Brits Out” and “Better Way To Live”.The controversy has sparked a wider debate about artistic expression and political censorship.The family of Conservative MP David Amess, who was fatally stabbed by an Islamic State group follower in 2021, called for an apology while the party leader Kemi Badenoch called for the band to be banned.In a statement in April, the band denied promoting extremist views and apologised to the families of Amess and Jo Cox, who was murdered in 2016 by a neo-Nazi sympathiser a week before the divisive Brexit referendum.”We do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah,” the group said.Nearly 40 musicians and groups, including Pulp, Paul Weller, Primal Scream and Massive Attack, have publicly backed Kneecap, accusing authorities of suppressing creative freedom.Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin had urged the band to clarify whether they supported the groups or not.An attack in Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.Israel’s military response in Gaza has triggered a humanitarian crisis, with the territory’s health ministry on Tuesday putting the death toll at 53,655.

Israeli troops fired what the army called “warning shots” during a visit by foreign diplomats to the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, drawing widespread international condemnation.The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israeli forces of “deliberately targeting by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation” near the flashpoint city of Jenin.A European diplomat said the group had travelled to the area to witness the destruction caused by months of Israeli military raids.The Israeli military said the convoy had strayed from the approved route and entered a restricted zone.Troops fired “warning shots” to steer the group away, it said, adding that no one was injured and expressing regret for the “inconvenience caused”.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman called the incident “unacceptable”.”It is clear that diplomats who are doing their work should never be shot at, attacked in any way, shape or form. Their safety, their viability, must be respected at all times,” the spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, told reporters. “These diplomats, including UN personnel, were fired at, warning shots or whatever… which is unacceptable,” he added.- ‘Reckless act’ -European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged Israel and hold those responsible “accountable”.Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain all summoned Israel’s ambassadors or said they would raise the issue directly.Egypt denounced the shooting as a breach of “all diplomatic norms”, while Turkey demanded an immediate investigation.”This attack must be investigated without delay and the perpetrators must be held accountable,” the Turkish foreign ministry said, adding an employee of the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem was with the group.Ahmad al-Deek, political adviser for the Palestinian foreign ministry who accompanied the delegation, condemned “this reckless act by the Israeli army”.”It has given the diplomatic delegation an impression of the life the Palestinian people are living,” he said.Palestinian news agency Wafa reported the delegation included diplomats from more than 20 countries including Britain, China, Egypt, France, Jordan, Turkey and Russia.Belgium demanded a “convincing explanation” from Israel, while Spain said it was “in contact with other affected countries to jointly coordinate a response to what happened, which we strongly condemn”.Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador to Rome and said that “threats against diplomats are unacceptable”.France also said it would summon Israel’s ambassador, and Germany said Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul would also raise the “unprovoked shooting” with his Israeli counterpart.- ‘Unbearable’ -The incident came as anger mounted over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Palestinians are scrambling for basic supplies after weeks of near-total isolation.A two-month Israeli aid blockade on Gaza was only partially eased this week.Israel stepped up its military offensive at the weekend, vowing to defeat Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.Israel has faced massive pressure, including from traditional allies, to halt its intensified offensive and allow aid into Gaza.Kallas said on Tuesday that “a strong majority” of EU foreign ministers backed the move to review its trade cooperation with Israel.”The countries see that the situation in Gaza is untenable… and what we want is to unblock the humanitarian aid,” she said.Sweden said it would press the EU to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers, while Britain suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador.Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as “worrying and painful” and called for “the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid”.Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the military says are dead.Gaza’s health ministry said Tuesday at least 3,509 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,655.burs-dv/ysm

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accepted the Boeing 747 that the Gulf emirate of Qatar offered to President Donald Trump for use as Air Force One, the Pentagon said Wednesday.Qatar’s offer of the jet — which is valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars — has raised huge constitutional and ethical questions, as well as security concerns about using an aircraft donated by a foreign power for use as the ultra-sensitive presidential plane.”The Secretary of Defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.”The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States,” Parnell said, referring questions to the US Air Force.The US Constitution prohibits government officials from accepting gifts “from any King, Prince or foreign State,” in a section known as the Emoluments Clause.But Trump has denied there are any ethical issues involved with accepting the plane, saying it would be “stupid” for the US government not to take the aircraft.”It’s a great gesture,” the 78-year-old billionaire told reporters at the White House last week when asked if the oil-rich Gulf state would expect anything in exchange.”I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person (and) say ‘no we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.'”The leader of the Democratic minority in the US Senate introduced legislation earlier this week that would block Trump from using the aircraft.Chuck Schumer’s Presidential Airlift Security Act would prohibit the Pentagon from using taxpayer funds to retrofit any plane previously owned by a foreign government for use as the presidential plane.”Donald Trump has shown time and again he will sell out the American people and the presidency if it means filling his own pockets,” Schumer said in a statement.”Not only would it take billions of taxpayer dollars to even attempt to retrofit and secure this plane, but there’s absolutely no amount of modifications that can guarantee it will be secure.”Although several Republicans have voiced concerns about the proposed gift, Senate Majority Leader John Thune — a Trump loyalist — is not obliged to bring the bill to the floor of Congress’s upper chamber.But Schumer plans to force a vote by offering it as an amendment to spending bills that Republicans will have to pass later in the year.

Israeli troops fired “warning shots” during a visit by foreign diplomats to the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the military said, drawing condemnation as pressure mounted on Israel to allow aid into war-battered Gaza.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged Israel to hold to account those responsible for the shooting near Jenin, a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups and a frequent target of Israeli raids.The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israel of having “deliberately targeted by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation”. A European diplomat said the group had gone to the area “to see the destruction” caused by months of Israeli operations.The Israeli military said “the delegation deviated from the approved route”, prompting troops to fire “warning shots” to keep them away from “an area where they were not authorised to be”.It said it “regrets the inconvenience caused” by the shooting, which resulted in no injuries.The incident came as international pressure intensified over the war in Gaza, where Palestinians were desperate for supplies after a two-month aid blockade was eased.Rescue teams in the Palestinian territory said overnight Israeli strikes killed at least 19 people, including a week-old baby.- ‘Unbearable’ -Israel said 93 trucks had entered Gaza on Tuesday but faced accusations the amount fell far short of what was required. The United Nations said the aid had been held up.The world body on Monday said it had been cleared to send in aid for the first time since Israel imposed a total blockade on March 2 in a move leading to critical shortages of food and medicine.Umm Talal al-Masri, 53, a displaced Palestinian living in an area of Gaza City, described the situation as “unbearable”. “No one is distributing anything to us. Everyone is waiting for aid, but we haven’t received anything,” she told AFP.”We’re grinding lentils and pasta to make some loaves of bread, and we barely manage to prepare one meal a day.”The Israeli army stepped up its offensive at the weekend, vowing to defeat Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.Israel has faced massive pressure, including from traditional allies, to halt its intensified offensive and allow aid into Gaza.Kallas said on Tuesday that “a strong majority” of foreign ministers from the 27-nation European Union backed the move to review its trade cooperation with Israel.”The countries see that the situation in Gaza is untenable… and what we want is to unblock the humanitarian aid,” she said.Sweden said it would press the EU to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers, while Britain suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador.Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as “worrying and painful” and called for “the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid”.Israel’s foreign ministry has said the EU action “reflects a total misunderstanding of the complex reality Israel is facing”.Germany on Wednesday defended a key EU-Israel cooperation deal as “an important forum that we must use in order to discuss critical questions” over the situation in Gaza.- ‘Reckless act’ -After the warning shots were fired at diplomats, Belgium demanded a “convincing explanation” from Israel, while Spain said it was “in contact with other affected countries to jointly coordinate a response to what happened, which we strongly condemn”.Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador to Rome and said that “threats against diplomats are unacceptable”.France also said it would summon Israel’s ambassador, and Germany said Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul would also raise the “unprovoked shooting” with his Israeli counterpart.Egypt said the incident “violates all diplomatic norms”.Ahmad al-Deek, political adviser for the Palestinian foreign ministry who accompanied the delegation, condemned “this reckless act by the Israeli army”.”It had given the diplomatic delegation an impression of the life the Palestinian people are living,” he said.Palestinian news agency Wafa reported the delegation included diplomats from more than 20 countries including Britain, China, Egypt, France, Jordan, Turkey and Russia.In Gaza, Israel resumed its operations across the territory on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire.Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the military says are dead.Gaza’s health ministry said Tuesday at least 3,509 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,655.

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday ordered the government to draw up proposals to tackle the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood movement and the spread of political Islamism in France, the Elysee said.The French presidency made the announcement after Macron chaired a security meeting to examine a report sounding the alarm about the Muslim Brotherhood and saying the movement poses “a threat to national cohesion” in France.”Given the importance of the subject and the seriousness of the facts established, he has asked the government to draw up new proposals that will be examined at a forthcoming Defence Council meeting in early June,” the Elysee Palace said.In a rare move, Macron has also decided to make the report public by the end of the week. AFP obtained a copy of the report on Tuesday.The Elysee Palace has said that some measures will be announced, while others will be classified.The report into the movement, which was founded in Egypt in 1928, was commissioned by the government and prepared by two senior civil servants. It “clearly establishes the anti-republican and subversive nature of the Muslim Brotherhood” and “proposes ways to address this threat”, the presidency said ahead of the meeting.France and Germany have the biggest Muslim populations among European Union countries. Authorities are eager to prevent any spread of extremist Islamist ideas in a country that has been rocked by a string of deadly jihadist attacks.Religious radicalisation has become a hot-button issue as the far-right is becoming increasingly popular in France. The report sparked heated reactions.Far-right leader Marine Le Pen accused the government of inaction, saying on X that she has long proposed measures to “eradicate Islamist fundamentalism”. Jordan Bardella, the leader of her National Rally party, said on France Inter radio: “If we come to power tomorrow, we will ban the Muslim Brotherhood.”But critics have condemned what they call the rise of Islamophobia in France.”Islamophobia has crossed a line,” hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon said on X. He accused officials of endorsing “the delusional theories” of Le Pen and France’s hardline Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau.The report pointed to the spread of Islamism “from the bottom up”, adding the phenomenon constituted “a threat in the short to medium term”.At the same time, the presidency stressed, “we are all perfectly aligned in saying that we must not lump all Muslims together”. “We are fighting against Islamism and its radical excesses.”The report zeroed in on the role of Muslims of France (Musulmans de France), which it identified as “the national branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in France.”- ‘Subtle but subversive aim’ – The Federation of Muslims of France denounced “unfounded accusations” and warned against “dangerous” conflation between Islam and radicalism.”We firmly reject any allegation that attempts to associate us with a foreign political project or an ‘entryism’ strategy,” said Muslims of France, warning against “a stigmatisation of Islam and Muslims.”The “constant accusation shapes minds, fuels fears and, sadly, contributes to violent acts,” it added, pointing to the death of Aboubakar Cisse, a 22-year-old Malian who was stabbed dozens of times while praying in a mosque in southern France.Conservative daily Le Figaro, which first published excerpts of the “shocking” report on Tuesday, said the Muslim Brotherhood “wants to introduce Sharia law in France”.The report said however that “no recent document demonstrates the desire of Muslims in France to establish an Islamic state in France or to enforce Sharia law there”.But the threat was real, the authors said.”We are not dealing with aggressive separatism” but a “subtle… yet no less subversive aim for the institutions.”Macron’s party proposed banning minors under 15 from wearing the Muslim headscarf in public spaces, saying the hijab “seriously undermines gender equality and the protection of children”.The party also wants to introduce a “criminal offence for coercion against parents who force their underage daughters to wear the veil”.In 2023, France banned pupils in public schools from wearing the abaya, a loose-fitting garment worn by Muslim women.cg-grd-mep-vl-as/phz