Desperate Palestinians block and offload Gaza food trucks – Middle East crisis live
Desperate Palestinians block and offload Gaza food trucks – Middle East crisis live

Desperate Palestinians block and offload Gaza food trucks – Middle East crisis live

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Israel’s ‘violations’ in Gaza make world more dangerous, Norway warns

Norway has played a historical role in the region, including by facilitating the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians in 1993. Last year it recognised the Palestinian state, one of a minority of European countries to do so. Åsmund Aukrust said Israel’s actions posed a global threat to other and future conflicts. He said Oslo would be keeping an ‘open line’ to all parties – including Hamas – for dialogue and promised that Norway would be “there for the long run” to rebuild Gaza. He urged people across Europe to “continue to protest” and to keep their faith in politics. “We are afraid and very concerned that this might be a new standard in international law and this will make the world a lot more dangerous to all of us,” he said. He added that it was not up to politicians to decide whether genocide applied to Gaza, saying that was a decision for the international court of justice.

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Israel is setting a dangerous precedent for international human rights law violations in Gaza that is making the whole world more dangerous, Norway’s international development minister has warned.

Norway has played a historical role in the region, including by facilitating the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians that led to a celebrated breakthrough deal in 1993. Last year it recognised the Palestinian state, one of a minority of European countries to do so.

“For the last one and a half years we have seen very low respect for international law in the war in Gaza and in recent months it is worse than ever before,” Åsmund Aukrust said. “So for the Norwegian government it is very important to protest against this, to condemn this very clear violation.”

In addition to contributing to the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, he said Israel’s actions posed a global threat to other and future conflicts.

“We are very concerned that there will be a new international standard where food is used as a weapon, where the UN is denied entrance to the war and conflict zone, and other NGOs are denied entrance,” he said. “And Israel is building up something they call Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is to militarise humanitarian aid.”

GHF, the controversial Israeli and US-backed logistical group, started distributing food in Gaza this week. Amid chaotic scenes, Israeli forces said they fired “warning shots” at a distribution centre. Gaza health officials said at least one civilian had been killed and 48 injured.

A UN-backed assessment earlier this month found that the entire population of the Gaza Strip, approximately 2.1 million people, were at critical risk of famine, with half a million people categorised as in catastrophe.

Aukrust said: “We are afraid and very concerned that this might be a new standard in international law and this will make the world a lot more dangerous to all of us.”

However, he said it was not up to politicians to decide whether the term genocide applied to Gaza, saying that was a decision for the international court of justice. “Genocide is the worst crime a country can do and the worst crime that politicians can do and this should not be polarised,” he said.

However, he said Oslo would be keeping an “open line” to all parties – including Hamas – for dialogue and promised that Norway would be “there for the long run” to rebuild Gaza.

“We have no limitation of who we are talking to. I would say the opposite. We would be happy to, and we want to, talk with those who are responsible, whether it is Israel, Hamas or others,” he said. “Dialogue is the most important word when it comes to peacemaking and we want to have an open line with all countries, all groups that might have an influence here.”

The Norwegian oil fund, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund that operates under rules set by parliament, has so far blacklisted 11 companies for assisting Israel’s occupation.

Next week, the Norwegian parliament is expected to reject calls to stop the fund from investing in companies that sell products and services in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Aukrust said decisions about the wealth fund were made by the bank, not politicians.

“The bank decides where they want to invest. What the politicians do is to decide the rules,” he said. The rules, he added, were “very clear” that the fund should not invest in anything that contributed to a violation of international law.

Norway’s decision to recognise the state of Palestine in May 2024 was “to send out a message of hope,” said Aukrust.

He urged people across Europe to “continue to protest” and to keep their faith in politics. “As long as the war is going on, from the Norwegian government side we will all the time look into what more can we do. What new initiative can we take. How can we send an even clearer message to those who are responsible for this.”

Source: Inkl.com | View original article

Hungry Palestinians in Gaza block and offload dozens of UN food trucks

The U.N. World Food Program says 77 trucks carrying aid, mostly flour, were stopped by hungry people. A nearly three-month Israeli blockade on Gaza has pushed the population to the brink of famine. A new U.S- and Israeli-backed foundation started operations in Gaza this week, distributing food at several sites. Israel says the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation will replace the massive aid operation that the U.n. and others have carried out throughout the war. It says the new mechanism is necessary, accusing Hamas of siphoning off large amounts of aid. The GHF works with armed contractors, which is says is needed to distribute food safely. The WFP said the fear of starvation in Gaza is high despite the food aid that’s entering now, and that it needs to flood communities with food for the next few days to calm anxieties and rebuild the trust with communities that more food is coming, it said. The Gaza Health Ministry said that at least 60 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours.

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Palestinians in the Gaza Strip blocked and offloaded dozens of food trucks, the U.N. World Food Program said Saturday, as desperation mounts following Israel’s monthslong blockade and airstrikes while talks of a ceasefire inch forward.

The WFP said that 77 trucks carrying aid, mostly flour, were stopped by hungry people who took the food before the trucks were able to reach their destination.

A nearly three-month Israeli blockade on Gaza has pushed the population to the brink of famine. While the pressure slightly eased in recent days as Israel allowed some aid to enter, organizations say there still isn’t nearly enough food getting in.

Hamas on Friday said it was reviewing a U.S. proposal for a temporary ceasefire. U.S. President Donald Trump said that negotiators were nearing a deal.

A ceasefire would pause the fighting for 60 days, release some of the 58 hostages still held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and much needed food aid and other assistance, according to Hamas and Egyptian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

The WFP said the fear of starvation in Gaza is high despite the food aid that’s entering now. “We need to flood communities with food for the next few days to calm anxieties and rebuild the trust with communities that more food is coming,” said agency said in a statement.

A witness in the southern city of Khan Younis told The Associated Press the U.N. convoy was stopped at a makeshift roadblock and offloaded by desperate civilians in their thousands. Most people carried bags of flour on their backs or heads. He said at one point a forklift was used to offload pallets from the stranded trucks. The witness spoke on condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisal.

The United Nations said earlier this month that Israeli authorities have forced them to use unsecured routes within areas controlled by the Israeli military in the eastern areas of Rafah and Khan Younis, where armed gangs are active and trucks were stopped.

Israel’s military didn’t immediately respond to comment.

Attacks, gangs, lack of protection hamper UN distribution

An internal document shared with aid groups about security incidents, seen by the AP, said there were four incidents of facilities being looted in three days at the end of May, not including the convoy on Saturday.

The U.N. says it’s been unable to get enough aid in because of fighting. On Friday, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it only picked up five truckloads of cargo from the Palestinian side of the Kareem Shalom crossing, and the other 60 trucks had to return due to intense hostilities in the area.

An Israeli official said his country has offered the U.N. logistical and operational support but “the U.N. is not doing their job.” Instead, a new U.S- and Israeli-backed foundation started operations in Gaza this week, distributing food at several sites in a chaotic rollout. Israel says the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation will replace the massive aid operation that the U.N. and others have carried out throughout the war.

It says the new mechanism is necessary, accusing Hamas of siphoning off large amounts of aid. The U.N. denies that significant diversion takes place.

The GHF works with armed contractors, which is says is needed to distribute food safely. Aid groups have accused the foundation of militarizing aid.

Israeli strikes kill at least 60

Meanwhile Israel is continuing its military campaign across Gaza.

The Gaza Health Ministry said that at least 60 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours. It said three people were shot by Israeli gunfire early Saturday morning in the southern city of Rafah. Three other people were killed, parents and a child, when their car was struck in Gaza City.

The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and taking 250 hostages. Of those taken captive, 58 remain in Gaza, but Israel believes 35 are dead and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said there are “doubts” about the fate of several others.

Israeli strikes have killed more than 54,000 Gaza residents, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

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Magdy reported from Cairo

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Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Source: Inkl.com | View original article

Hamas responds to US-led Gaza deal with offer to release 10 hostages – Middle East crisis live

Hamas says it will release 10 living hostages and 18 bodies in return for Israel’s release of a number of Palestinian prisoners. Palestinians in the Gaza Strip blocked and offloaded dozens of food trucks, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Saturday. The WFP said that 77 trucks carrying aid, mostly flour, were stopped by hungry people who took the food before the trucks were able to reach their destination. Israel has said Hamas must accept a hostage deal in Gaza or “be annihilated”, as Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire agreement was “very close”. Israel is setting a dangerous precedent for international human rights law violations in Gaza that is making the whole world more dangerous, Norway’s international development minister has warned. The foreign ministers of five Arab countries who had planned to visit the occupied West Bank this weekend on Saturday condemned Israel’s decision to block their plans. Hamas has also reiterated that the ceasefire talks should lead to ending the war in Gaza, Reuters reports.

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From 36m ago 16.10 BST Hamas submits response on ceasefire proposal Hamas said it has submitted its response on a ceasefire proposal presented by Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to mediators. The Palestinian group said in a statement that under the deal, it will release 10 living hostages and 18 bodies in return for Israel’s release of a number of Palestinian prisoners. Share Updated at 16.39 BST

3m ago 16.43 BST The Hamas statement added: “This proposal aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensure the flow of aid to our people and our families in the Gaza Strip.” It said its response came “after conducting a round of national consultations”. The statement did not mention that it was seeking any changes in the proposal, but a Palestinian official familiar with the talks told Reuters that Hamas sought some amendments while its response was positive. Share

23m ago 16.23 BST Hamas has also reiterated that the ceasefire talks should lead to ending the war in Gaza, Reuters reports. Share

36m ago 16.10 BST Hamas submits response on ceasefire proposal Hamas said it has submitted its response on a ceasefire proposal presented by Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to mediators. The Palestinian group said in a statement that under the deal, it will release 10 living hostages and 18 bodies in return for Israel’s release of a number of Palestinian prisoners. Share Updated at 16.39 BST

1h ago 15.46 BST Afternoon summary It is approaching 6pm in Gaza City and Tel Aviv. Here is a summary of the developments on today’s blog: Palestinians in the Gaza Strip blocked and offloaded dozens of food trucks, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Saturday, as desperation mounts after Israel’s monthslong blockade. The WFP said that 77 trucks carrying aid, mostly flour, were stopped by hungry people who took the food before the trucks were able to reach their destination. The WFP said the fear of starvation in Gaza is high despite the food aid that is entering now.

Israel has said Hamas must accept a hostage deal in Gaza or “be annihilated”, as Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire agreement was “very close” . On Friday, defence minister Israel Katz said Hamas must agree to a ceasefire proposal presented by US envoy Steve Witkoff or be destroyed, after the group said the deal failed to satisfy its demands. However, Hamas said it was still considering the text.

Gaza is “the hungriest place on Earth”, according to the UN, which has warned that the Palestinian territory’s entire population is at risk of famine. Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) also said the mission to deliver aid was “in an operational straitjacket that makes it one of the most obstructed aid operations not only in the world today, but in recent history”. UN says ‘catastrophic situation in Gaza is at its worst since war began’ – video. Israel is setting a dangerous precedent for international human rights law violations in Gaza that is making the whole world more dangerous, Norway’s international development minister has warned. “For the last one and a half years we have seen very low respect for international law in the war in Gaza and in recent months it is worse than ever before,” Åsmund Aukrust said. “So for the Norwegian government it is very important to protest against this, to condemn this very clear violation.” View image in fullscreen Smoke and dust rise over destroyed and heavily damaged residential areas in northern Gaza Strip after Israeli attacks on Saturday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images The foreign ministers of five Arab countries who had planned to visit the occupied West Bank this weekend on Saturday condemned Israel’s decision to block their plans. Ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had been expected to take part alongside Turkey and the secretary-general of the Arab League. Israel had announced late on Friday that it would not cooperate, effectively blocking the visit as it controls the territory’s borders and airspace.

The Gaza health ministry said on Saturday that at least 60 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours. It said three people were shot by Israeli gunfire early on Saturday morning in the southern city of Rafah. Three other people were killed, parents and a child, when their car was struck in Gaza City, it added.

A convoy of tractors that set out from kibbutzim across Israel arrived at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday, calling for the return of hostages held in Gaza. The protest was organised by the Kibbutz Movement and the Hostages Families Forum. View image in fullscreen A tractor protest organised by the Kibbutz Movement and the Hostages Families Forum prepares to head towards Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images Israeli airstrikes have struck western Syria, the Israeli military and Syrian state media have said, and reportedly one civilian has been killed in the first such attack on the country in nearly a month. “A strike from Israeli occupation aircraft targeted sites close to the village of Zama in the Jableh countryside south of Latakia,” state television said.

Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, a confidential report by the United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Saturday and called on Tehran to urgently change course and comply with the agency’s probe. The report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which was seen by the Associated Press (AP), says that as of 17 May, Iran has amassed 408.6kg of uranium enriched up to 60%.

Israel said Saturday’s IAEA report was a clear warning sign that Iran is “totally determined to complete its nuclear weapons programme,” according to a statement from the office of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran considers nuclear weapons “unacceptable”, reiterating the country’s longstanding position amid delicate negotiations with the United States. “If the issue is nuclear weapons, yes, we too consider this type of weapon unacceptable,” Araghchi, Iran’s lead negotiator in the talks, said in a televised speech. “We agree with them on this issue.”

Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital is operating at just 20% capacity, according to the medical complex’s director , Al Jazeera reported on Saturday. It came as hospital officials said 27 people were killed in new Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

Lebanese official media said an Israeli strike killed one person in the south on Saturday despite a six-month-old ceasefire, as Israel said it targeted a Hezbollah militant. The state-run National News Agency (NNA) said a man was killed when an Israeli drone targeted his car as he was heading to pray at a mosque in Deir al-Zahrani, about 20km (12 miles) from the Israeli border.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Saturday that the kingdom will offer with Qatar joint financial support to state employees in Syria. His statement came during a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shibani in Damascus.

Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani welcomed Prince Faisal , who is “heading a high-level delegation”, on arrival at Damascus airport, a Syria foreign ministry statement said. A Saudi foreign ministry statement said Prince Faisal would meet interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa also.

The commander of Kurdish forces that control north-east Syria said on Friday that his group is in direct contact with Turkey and that he would be open to improving ties, including by meeting Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The public comments represented a significant diplomatic overture by Mazloum Abdi, whose Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fought Turkish troops and Ankara-backed Syrian rebels during Syria’s 14-year civil war. Share Updated at 16.01 BST

2h ago 15.15 BST Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Saturday that the kingdom will offer with Qatar joint financial support to state employees in Syria, reports Reuters. His statement came during a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shibani in Damascus. Share Updated at 15.20 BST

2h ago 14.56 BST Here are some more images coming in today via the newswires: View image in fullscreen Smoke rises after an Israeli attack hit a house of a Palestinian family near al-Ahly hospital in Gaza City on Saturday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen An aerial picture shows a tractor protest organised by the Kibbutz Movement and the Hostages Families, before the convoy headed towards Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday. Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen A Palestinian woman mourns over the body of a relative wrapped in a white shroud at al-Shifa hospital after an Israeli airstrike on a civilian vehicle in central Gaza City on Saturday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images View image in fullscreen People take part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in Athens, Greece, on Saturday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Share

2h ago 14.42 BST Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud arrived in Damascus on Saturday with an economic delegation on a visit to discuss ways to support Syria’s war-ravaged economy, authorities said. Saudi Arabia has been one of the most important regional supporters of Syria’s new authorities, who took over after ousting longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. On a visit to Riyadh earlier this month, US president Donald Trump said he would lift US sanctions on Syria, a move that paves the way for economic recovery in the war-torn country. View image in fullscreen Syria’s interim foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani (R) receiving Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (L) at Damascus international airport on Saturday. Photograph: SANA/AFP/Getty Images Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani welcomed Prince Faisal, who is “heading a high-level delegation”, on arrival at Damascus airport, a Syria foreign ministry statement said. The pair were scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). A Saudi foreign ministry statement said Prince Faisal would meet interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa and “the high-level economic delegation” would hold talks with Syrian officials about ways of cooperating “that contribute to supporting Syria’s economy and strengthen institution building”. In February, al-Sharaa visited Saudi Arabia in his first trip abroad as president. Share Updated at 15.21 BST

2h ago 14.21 BST Arab ministers condemn Israel ‘ban’ on planned West Bank visit The foreign ministers of five Arab countries who had planned to visit the occupied West Bank this weekend on Saturday condemned Israel’s decision to block their plans, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP). The ministers condemned “Israel’s decision to ban the delegation’s visit to Ramallah [on Sunday] to meet with the president of the State of Palestine, Mahmud Abbas”, the Jordanian foreign ministry said. Ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had been expected to take part alongside Turkey and the secretary-general of the Arab League. Israel had announced late on Friday that it would not cooperate, effectively blocking the visit as it controls the territory’s borders and airspace. Abbas “intended to host in Ramallah a provocative meeting of foreign ministers from Arab countries to discuss the promotion of the establishment of a Palestinian state,” said a statement attributed to an unidentified official, reports AFP. The statment continued: “Such a state would undoubtedly become a terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel. Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security.” Had the visit gone ahead, the delegation’s head Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud would have become the first Saudi foreign minister to visit the West Bank. Share Updated at 15.00 BST

3h ago 14.10 BST At least 60 Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes in last 24 hours, says Gaza health ministry The Gaza health ministry said that at least 60 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours. It said three people were shot by Israeli gunfire early on Saturday morning in the southern city of Rafah. Three other people were killed, parents and a child, when their car was struck in Gaza City, reports the Associated Press (AP). Share

3h ago 13.56 BST An internal document shared with aid groups about security incidents, seen by the Associated Press (AP), said there were four incidents of facilities being looted in three days at the end of May, not including the convoy on Saturday.

The UN says it has been unable to get enough aid in because of fighting. On Friday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it only picked up five truckloads of cargo from the Palestinian side of the Kareem Shalom crossing, and the other 60 trucks had to return due to intense hostilities in the area.

An Israeli official said his country has offered the UN logistical and operational support but “the UN is not doing their job”. Instead, a new US- and Israeli-backed foundation started operations in Gaza this week, distributing food at several sites in a chaotic rollout. Israel says the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) will replace the massive aid operation that the UN and others have carried out throughout the war.

It says the new mechanism is necessary, accusing Hamas of siphoning off large amounts of aid. The UN denies that significant diversion takes place, reports the AP.

The GHF works with armed contractors, which is says is needed to distribute food safely. Aid groups have accused the foundation of militarising aid. Share

3h ago 13.51 BST Hungry Palestinians in Gaza block and offload dozens of UN food trucks Palestinians in the Gaza Strip blocked and offloaded dozens of food trucks, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Saturday, as desperation mounts after Israel’s monthslong blockade and airstrikes while talks of a ceasefire inch forward.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the WFP said that 77 trucks carrying aid, mostly flour, were stopped by hungry people who took the food before the trucks were able to reach their destination.

A nearly three-month Israeli blockade on Gaza has pushed the population to the brink of famine. While the pressure slightly eased in recent days as Israel allowed some aid to enter, organisations say there still is not nearly enough food getting in.

The WFP said the fear of starvation in Gaza is high despite the food aid that is entering now. “We need to flood communities with food for the next few days to calm anxieties and rebuild the trust with communities that more food is coming,” the agency said in a statement.

A witness in the southern city of Khan Younis told the AP that the UN convoy was stopped at a makeshift roadblock and offloaded by desperate civilians in their thousands. Most people carried bags of flour on their backs or heads. He said at one point a forklift was used to offload pallets from the stranded trucks. The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisal.

The UN said earlier this month that Israeli authorities have forced them to use unsecured routes within areas controlled by the Israeli military in the eastern areas of Rafah and Khan Younis, where armed gangs are active and trucks were stopped.

The AP said that Israel’s military did not immediately respond to comment. Share

3h ago 13.41 BST Israel’s ‘violations’ in Gaza make world more dangerous, Norway warns Miranda Bryant Israel is setting a dangerous precedent for international human rights law violations in Gaza that is making the whole world more dangerous, Norway’s international development minister has warned. Norway has played a historical role in the region, including by facilitating the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians that led to a celebrated breakthrough deal in 1993. Last year it recognised the Palestinian state, one of a minority of European countries to do so. “For the last one and a half years we have seen very low respect for international law in the war in Gaza and in recent months it is worse than ever before,” Åsmund Aukrust said. “So for the Norwegian government it is very important to protest against this, to condemn this very clear violation.” In addition to contributing to the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, he said Israel’s actions posed a global threat to other and future conflicts. “We are very concerned that there will be a new international standard where food is used as a weapon, where the UN is denied entrance to the war and conflict zone, and other NGOs are denied entrance,” he said. “And Israel is building up something they call Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is to militarise humanitarian aid.” GHF, the controversial Israeli and US-backed logistical group, started distributing food in Gaza this week. Amid chaotic scenes, Israeli forces said they fired “warning shots” at a distribution centre. Gaza health officials said at least one civilian had been killed and 48 injured. A UN-backed assessment earlier this month found that the entire population of the Gaza Strip, approximately 2.1 million people, were at critical risk of famine, with half a million people categorised as in catastrophe. Aukrust said: We are afraid and very concerned that this might be a new standard in international law and this will make the world a lot more dangerous to all of us. However, he said it was not up to politicians to decide whether the term genocide applied to Gaza, saying that was a decision for the international court of justice. “Genocide is the worst crime a country can do and the worst crime that politicians can do and this should not be polarised,” he said. However, he said Oslo would be keeping an “open line” to all parties – including Hamas – for dialogue and promised that Norway would be “there for the long run” to rebuild Gaza. Israel’s ‘violations’ in Gaza make world more dangerous, Norway warns Read more Share

3h ago 13.27 BST Western officials suspect that the uranium traces discovered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Iran could provide evidence that the country had a secret military nuclear program until 2003, reports the Associated Press (AP). One of the sites became known publicly in 2018 after Benjamin Netanyahu revealed it at the United Nations general assembly and called it a clandestine nuclear warehouse hidden at a rug-cleaning plant. Iran denied this but in 2019, IAEA inspectors detected the presence of human-made uranium particles there. After initially blocking IAEA access, inspectors were able to collect samples in 2020 from two other locations where they also detected the presence of artificial uranium particles. The three locations became known as Turquzabad, Varamin, and Marivan. A fourth undeclared location named as Lavisan-Shian is also part of the IAEA probe but IAEA inspectors never visited the site because it was razed and demolished by Iran after 2003.

In Saturday’s comprehensive report, the IAEA says that the “lack of answers and clarifications provided by Iran” to questions the watchdog had regarding Lavisan-Shian, Varamin and Marivan “has led the agency to conclude that these three locations, and other possible related locations, were part of an undeclared structured nuclear program carried out by Iran until the early 2000s and that some activities used undeclared nuclear material.” Share

4h ago 13.06 BST Iran ‘determined to complete nuclear weapons programme’ says Israel Israel said Saturday’s report was a clear warning sign that Iran is “totally determined to complete its nuclear weapons program,” according to a statement from the office of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reports the Associated Press (AP).

It said the report “strongly reinforces what Israel has been saying for years — the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program is not peaceful.”

It also added that Iran’s level of enrichment “has no civilian justification whatsoever” and appealed on the international community to “act now to stop Iran.” Share Updated at 13.07 BST

4h ago 12.50 BST In a separate in-depth report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear watchdog criticised “less than satisfactory” cooperation from Tehran over its scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear programme, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“While Iran continues to cooperate with the agency on matters of routine safeguards implementation, in a number of respects… its cooperation with the agency has been less than satisfactory,” the report said. It specifically notes Tehran’s lack of progress in explaining nuclear material found at undeclared sites. “In particular, Iran has repeatedly either not answered, or not provided technically credible answers to, the agency’s questions and has sanitised locations as listed in this report, which has impeded agency verification activities.” Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from a landmark 2015 deal with Tehran during his first term as president. The deal had exchanged sanctions relief for limits on Iran’s nuclear programme. Share

4h ago 12.30 BST Iran increases stockpile of enriched uranium Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, a confidential report by the United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Saturday and called on Tehran to urgently change course and comply with the agency’s probe, reports the Associated Press (AP)

The report comes at a sensitive time as Tehran and Washington have been holding several rounds of talks over a possible nuclear deal that president Donald Trump is trying to reach.

The report by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which was seen by AP, says that as of 17 May, Iran has amassed 408.6kg of uranium enriched up to 60%. The stockpile was described as a “short, technical step away” from weapons-grade levels of 90%. That’s an increase of 133.8kg since the IAEA’s last report in February, when the stockpile was said to be 274.8kg. Approximately 42kg of 60% enriched uranium is theoretically enough to produce one atomic bomb, if enriched further to 90%, according to the watchdog.

The IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi has stressed repeatedly that “Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching to this level.”

On Saturday, Grossi said he “reiterates his urgent call upon Iran to cooperate fully and effectively” with the IAEA.

On Thursday, senior Iranian officials dismissed speculation about an imminent nuclear deal with the US, emphasising that any agreement must fully lift sanctions and allow the country’s nuclear program to continue. Share Updated at 12.51 BST

Source: Theguardian.com | View original article

Iran increases stockpile of enriched Uranium by 50 percent, IAEA says

IAEA says Iran has amassed 408.6kg (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 percent – the only non-nuclear weapon state to do so. Iran carried out secret nuclear activities with material not declared to the IAEA at three locations that have long been under investigation. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only. US President Donald Trump said on Friday Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon’ but added: “That would be a great thing that we could have a deal without bombs being dropped all over the Middle East’” The report could allow for a push by the US, Britain, France and Germany to declare Iran in violation of its non-proliferation obligations. But Iran’s foreign minister reaffirmed the country’s longstanding position, saying Tehran deems nuclear weapons “unacceptable”

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The United Nations nuclear watchdog says Iran has increased its stockpile of highly enriched, near weapons-grade uranium by 50 percent in the last three months.

The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Saturday comes as nuclear deal negotiations are under way between the United States and Iran, with Tehran insisting its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only.

The IAEA said as of May 17, Iran had amassed 408.6kg (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 percent – the only non-nuclear weapon state to do so, according to the UN agency – and had increased its stockpile by almost 50 percent to 133.8kg since its last report in February.

The wide-ranging, confidential report seen by several news agencies said Iran carried out secret nuclear activities with material not declared to the IAEA at three locations that have long been under investigation, calling it a “serious concern” and warning Tehran to change its course.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, however, reaffirmed the country’s longstanding position, saying Tehran deems nuclear weapons “unacceptable”.

“If the issue is nuclear weapons, yes, we too consider this type of weapon unacceptable,” Araghchi, Iran’s lead negotiator in the nuclear talks with the US, said in a televised speech. “We agree with them on this issue.”

‘Both sides building leverage’

But the report, which was requested by the IAEA’s 35-nation board of governors in November, will allow for a push by the US, Britain, France and Germany to declare Iran in violation of its non-proliferation obligations.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump said Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon”.

“They don’t want to be blown up. They would rather make a deal,” Trump said, adding: “That would be a great thing that we could have a deal without bombs being dropped all over the Middle East.”

In 2015, Iran reached a deal with the United Kingdom, US, Germany, France, Russia, China and the European Union, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. It involved the lifting of some sanctions on Tehran in return for limits on its nuclear development programme.

But in 2018, then US President Trump unilaterally quit the agreement and reimposed harsh sanctions. Tehran then rebuilt its stockpiles of enriched uranium.

In December last year, the IAEA said Iran was rapidly enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, moving closer to the 90 percent threshold needed for weapons-grade material.

Western nations say such intensive enrichment should not be part of a civilian nuclear programme, but Iran insists it is not developing weapons.

Hamed Mousavi, professor of political science at Tehran University, told Al Jazeera the IAEA findings could indicate a possible negotiation tool for Iran during its ongoing nuclear talks with the US.

“I think both sides are trying to build leverage against the other side. From the Iranian perspective, an advancement in the nuclear programme is going to bring them leverage at the negotiation table with the Americans,” he said.

On the other side, he said, the US could threaten more sanctions and may also refer the Iranian case to the UN Security Council for its breach of the 2006 non-proliferation agreement. However, he added that Iran has not made the “political decision” to build a possible bomb.

“Enriching up to 60 percent [of uranium] – from the Iranian perspective – is a sort of leverage against the Americans to lift sanctions,” Mousavi said.

Source: Inkl.com | View original article

Hollyoaks actor Paul Danan died by misadventure after drug use – coroner

Hollyoaks star Paul Danan was found unresponsive at his home in Bristol. Coroner ruled that his death was caused by a combination of drugs, both prescription and illicit. She said there was no evidence that Danan had intended to take his own life. He had been due to appear for a plea hearing at Warrington magistrates court on 16 January after being charged with being in possession of cocaine and cannabis. He was also accused of driving while under the influence of drugs on 2 October last year in Warrington, Cheshire.

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The soap opera and reality television star Paul Danan died from the combined effects of prescribed and illicit drugs, a coroner has concluded.

Assistant coroner Debbie Rookes ruled that the death of Danan, an actor on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and known for appearances on Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Love Island, was misadventure.

The hearing at Avon coroner’s court in Flax Bourton, near Bristol, was told that Danan was found unresponsive sitting on the sofa in front of the television at his home in Brislington, Bristol, on 15 January.

Emergency services attended and confirmed his death and his body was identified there by his partner, Melissa Crooks.

Rookes said there was no evidence that Danan had intended to take his own life. She said: “Paul Danan was clearly much loved and is very much missed. Mr Danan had a long history of drug misuse and struggles with his mental health. His death was caused by a combination of drugs, both prescription and illicit.

“Paul had struggled with his mental health for many years. I don’t have any evidence before me that Paul intended to take his own life at this time. Therefore, the conclusion is misadventure.”

In a statement his mother, Beverley Danan, told the court: “Paul helped so many people from all walks of life but just couldn’t help himself in the same way. His smiling face and love of life will always be remembered.”

Danan had been due to appear for a plea hearing at Warrington magistrates court on 16 January after being charged with being in possession of cocaine and cannabis, according to court documents. He was also accused of driving while under the influence of drugs on 2 October last year in Warrington, Cheshire.

Danan discussed his substance abuse and recovery on ITV’s The Jeremy Kyle Show in 2019, which he said began when he was a teenager. He said he had to “work hard at it every day to keep in recovery”.

Calum Best, the son of the footballer George Best, who took part in reality shows with Danan, described him as one of the “funniest, kindest, and most authentic people I’ve known”.

A statement from Independent Creative Management said: “Paul was a beacon of light to so many. His untimely departure will leave irreplaceable voids in the lives of all who knew him.”

Source: Theguardian.com | View original article

Source: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitgFBVV95cUxQdVdzMUowNVpkLWNpNDdoTmJKSkh3UGpkdmt4ZzVjTGRYNDZEVTBLdnk0c3REYU14b2RTRnZ5RVQ5YlFvZnVnUWhkWGxQZXVGZ3NWVFJPY2ZyTGNpaHdFOGxZRFdQS2U2QVdmM2MwZWVicXplTVNXQjM2bjJkaWFoNzFNOTUyd3RtblM0Q1JRdnBYN01MUkM3Y1YwV2ttSHlMVzhrS29sRGlhY1hqdVlNd0hsenhmQQ?oc=5

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