*) Ceasefire takes effect between Israel, Palestinian group

An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad has taken effect late on Sunday.

The ceasefire agreement came after three days of Israeli air strikes on Gaza. 

The attacks left at least 44 Palestinians, including 15 children dead and over 360 others injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. 

Egyptian state news agency MENA reported that Egypt was exerting efforts to release Palestinian prisoners Khalil Awawdeh and Bassam al Saadi.

*) Senate Democrats pass $740B 'Inflation Reduction Act' package in US

The US Senate has passed a sweeping $430 billion bill intended to fight climate change, lower drug prices and raise some corporate taxes. 

Amid Republican efforts to derail the package, the Senate approved the legislation known as the Inflation Reduction Act by a 51-50 party line vote. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking ballot.

That is a major victory for President Joe Biden that Democrats hope will aid their chances of keeping control of Congress in this year's elections. 

*) Gustavo Petro sworn in as Colombia’s first leftist president

Gustavo Petro has taken the oath of office as Colombia's first-ever leftist president.

He was sworn in before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people in Bogota.

Petro takes over from the deeply unpopular Ivan Duque for a four-year term during which he will enjoy support from a left-leaning majority in Congress. 

*) Any attack on a nuclear plant in Ukraine 'suicidal' — UN

Any attack on a nuclear plant is "suicidal", United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned. 

His statement comes after fresh reports suggested shelling hit a huge atomic power complex in southern Ukraine. 

The fighting on Friday at the plant has prompted the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency to warn of "the very real risk of a nuclear disaster". 

Guterres said "any attack to a nuclear plant is a suicidal thing,” adding that he hopes the “attacks will end."

And finally…

*) UK museum agrees to return looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria

A London museum has agreed to return a collection of Benin Bronzes looted in the late 19th century from what is now Nigeria. 

The decision comes after Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments formally asked for the artefacts to be returned earlier this year.

Since then, cultural institutions throughout Britain have come under pressure to repatriate artefacts acquired during the colonial era.

August 8, 2022

*) Israel kills over a dozen Palestinians in Rafah — medics

Israeli air strikes have targeted three houses in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, killing at least 13 people and wounding numerous others, according to medics. 

Additionally, Israeli planes struck two houses in Gaza City in the north of the enclave, which health officials say resulted in several casualties.

These strikes occurred amid ongoing Israeli violence and tension, with over a million people in Rafah seeking shelter from previous bombardments. 

*) World Central Kitchen to resume Gaza ops after Israel killings

World Central Kitchen has resumed operations in Gaza after seven of its aid workers were killed in an Israeli strike earlier this month.

In a statement, the charity's chief executive officer emphasised the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and their commitment to providing food assistance with renewed energy and focus. 

The organisation plans to deliver food to as many Palestinians as possible, including in the northern region, by utilising various transport methods: land, air, or sea routes. 

*) Heat wave kills two Palestinian children in Gaza

The UN refugee agency UNRWA has reported that at least two Palestinian children have lost their lives due to a severe heat wave in Gaza. 

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini expressed deep concern, highlighting the challenges faced by Palestinians in Gaza: death, hunger, disease, displacement, and now extreme heat conditions. 

This situation compounds the ongoing difficulties caused by a deadly Israeli offensive that killed more than 34,400 people and injured thousands.

*) Ukraine signals worsening front amidst Russia's new gains

Ukraine's army leader has acknowledged a deteriorating situation on the battlefield as Russian forces seized another village in eastern Ukraine. 

In a Facebook post, Oleksandr Syrsky admitted that Ukrainian troops had retreated westwards to establish new defensive lines along the front near Donetsk.

He noted that Russia holds a significant advantage in manpower and ammunition, allowing them to make advances despite heavy fighting.

*) Palestinian writer wins Arabic Fiction Prize after 20 years in Israeli jail

Palestinian writer Basim Khandaqji, who was imprisoned in Israel 20 years ago, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

He won for his novel "A Mask, the Colour of the Sky” at a ceremony held in Abu Dhabi.

Khandaqji was born in Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in 1983 and began writing short stories until his arrest at the age of 21.

April 29, 2024

*) Top UN court to rule in Germany 'genocide' case over Gaza

The United Nations' top court will rule on charges by Nicaragua that Germany if facilitating genocide in Gaza by supplying arms to Israel.

Nicaragua initiated proceedings against Germany at the International Court of Justice, accusing Berlin of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention.

At a hearing earlier this month, Nicaragua requested the court issue emergency measures for Germany to stop its arms exports to Israel.

*) Living conditions worsen in Gaza's Rafah amid rising heat, trash piles

Meanwhile, garbage piles up and the heat rises in war-torn Gaza as life becomes even more grim for displaced Palestinians living in tents.

Last week, temperatures already topped 30°C, turning the makeshift shelters made from plastic tarps and sheets into sweltering ovens.

Rafah hosts about 1.5 million displaced, more than half of Gaza's population which has been besieged and bombarded by Israel for nearly seven months.

*) Security deal ready for Saudi if it normalises ties with Israel: Blinken

The United States is nearly ready with a security package to offer Saudi Arabia if it normalises relations with Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

Blinken was visiting the kingdom on his seventh trip to the region since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which has then launched a relentless offensive in Gaza.

President Joe Biden's administration, while supporting Israel, has sought moderation from its government by dangling the prospect of formal relations with Saudi Arabia.

*) Scores of people dead in western Kenya after dam collapses

At least 42 people have died when a dam burst its banks near a town in Kenya's Rift Valley, as heavy rains and floods battered the country.

The dam bust in Nakuru county, washing away houses and cutting off a road, with rescuers digging through debris to find survivors.

Monday's dam collapse raises the total death toll over the March-May wet season to 120 as heavier than usual rainfall pounds East Africa.

*) Scotland's first minister Yousaf steps down after a year

Humza Yousaf has announced his resignation as Scotland's first minister, before he was due to face two confidence votes this week.

The 39-year-old quit following a turbulent year as head of the devolved administration, during which support for his pro-independence Scottish National Party has fallen.

Yousaf had been facing growing calls to resign since unceremoniously ending the party’s power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens in the Scottish parliament.

April 30, 2024

*) China says Hamas and Fatah met for Palestinian reconciliation talks in Beijing 

China has said that two rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah recently met in Beijing for "in-depth and candid talks on promoting intra-Palestinian reconciliation".

"Representatives of the Palestine National Liberation Movement and the Islamic Resistance Movement recently came to Beijing," the Chinese foreign ministry said.

"The two sides fully expressed their political will to achieve reconciliation through dialogue and consultation, discussed many specific issues and made positive progress," it added, without specifying when the sides had met.

*) Paris suspends regional funding for Sciences Po over pro-Palestine protests

The Paris region authority has sparked outrage after suspending funding for Sciences Po, one of the country's most prestigious universities, over pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Valerie Pecresse, the right-wing head of the region, said on social media that she had decided to suspend all regional funding for Sciences Po until calm and security are restored at the school.

*) Several killed in mosque attack in western Afghanistan

At least six people have been killed and several others injured in an attack on a mosque in western Afghanistan, local media reported.

Unknown gunmen targeted worshipers at a Shia mosque in Herat province during evening prayers.

The interior ministry reported that an unknown armed person shot at civilian worshippers in a mosque.

*) Sunak govt reportedly deports first asylum seeker from UK to Rwanda

Britain has deported its first asylum seeker to Rwanda. 

The flight was part of a voluntary scheme separate from a forced deportation programme that Britain is about to embark on in the next few months, seeking to deter asylum seekers from coming to the UK.

Under the voluntary scheme, the government has said it would pay asylum seekers up to 3,000 pounds each to move to Rwanda to help clear the backlog of refugees who have arrived in the country in recent years.

*) ICJ rejects Nicaragua's plea to stop German arms exports to Israel

The International Court of Justice has voiced concern over the "catastrophic living conditions” in Palestine’s Gaza, but refrained from issuing emergency measures to stop Germany’s arms exports to Israel.

At a hearing in The Hague, the ICJ President said Germany has been a party to major international arms control treaties, and German authorities have already declared that they have limited arms exports to Israel.

May 1, 2024

*) 57 Democrats urge Biden to prevent Israeli invasion of Rafah

US President Joe Biden's administration has faced renewed pressure from his fellow Democrats to influence ally Israel not to launch a full-scale invasion of Rafah. 

Fifty-seven of the 212 Democrats in the House of Representatives signed a letter calling on the administration to take every possible measure to dissuade hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government from an all-out assault on the city.

"We urge you to invoke existing law and policy to immediately withhold military aid to the Israeli government to preempt a full-scale assault on Rafah," said the letter.

*)  Australia tiptoes around Indian spy scandal revelations

A string of senior Australian ministers have refused to confirm reports that Indian spies had been uncovered in the country and expelled.

Australia's prime minister as well as other ministers dodged questions about allegations that Indian spooks tried to steal defence secrets and monitor expatriate communities in 2020.

However, Intelligence bosses have revealed that in 2021 they had rumbled what they call a "nest of Indian spies" sent to Australia to steal defence secrets and monitor their country's expats.

*) Colombia cuts diplomatic ties with Israel over Gaza war

President Gustavo Petro has said that Colombia will cut all diplomatic ties with Israel.

"Diplomatic relations with the state of Israel will be severed, for having a genocidal president," Petro told a May Day rally in Bogota. 
Petro has been a harsh critic of Tel Aviv's war on Gaza.

*) US accuses Russia of using chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops

The United States has accused Russia of having used "the chemical weapon chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces" in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

In addition, Russia has used "riot control agents as a method of warfare in Ukraine, also in violation of the CWC," a statement from the State Department said.

*) Female ex-employees sue BBC for discrimination 

Four female journalists have initiated a gender and age discrimination case against the BBC, claiming they lost their jobs following a "rigged" recruitment exercise.

The female journalists who presented on the BBC's television channels were present at a preliminary hearing in London for the employment tribunal.

The four women claim that they were paid less than men in equivalent roles and that they unfairly lost their jobs at the BBC News Channel.

May 2, 2024

*) Türkiye halts trade with Israel until uninterrupted aid to Gaza

Türkiye has stopped all exports and imports to and from Israel, as a punitive measure against Tel Aviv's brutal war on Gaza that has killed around 34,600 Palestinians in just over six months.

The Turkish trade ministry said until the Israeli government allows uninterrupted humanitarian aid flow to Gaza, Türkiye will decisively and resolutely implement the new measures in question.

The ministry added that the second phase of state-level measures has been implemented, and all export and import transactions with Israel have been halted.

*) Israel tortures to death al-Shifa hospital orthopaedic surgeon

Israeli forces have killed Adnan al Bursh who was the head of the orthopaedic department at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

According to the Palestinian Prisoner Society, Al Bursh was arrested by the Israeli army last December as he was treating patients at al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza.

He was killed at the Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank and his body is still withheld by the Israeli forces.

The NGO said one more detainee identified as Ismail Khader has also died at Israeli prisons.

*) Ukraine intel official 'doesn't see way' for Kiev to win war against Moscow

A senior Ukrainian intelligence official has said that Ukraine will, at some point, have to enter into talks with Russia to bring an end to their more than two-year-old war.

Major-General Vadym Skibitsky, deputy chief of Ukraine's HUR military intelligence directorate, told the Economist magazine that talks would eventually be needed, as would be the case with any war.

The magazine wrote, "General Skibitsky says he does not see a way for Ukraine to win the war on the battlefield alone. Even if it were able to push Russian forces back to the borders, it wouldn't end the war."

*) 2,100+ seized, ribs broken, students threatened: Latest on US campus demos

The pro-Palestinian protests on the US campuses, the biggest and most prolonged since the Vietnam demonstrations in the 1960s and 70s, continue despite pro-Zionism rioters attacking students and police cracking down on anti-war students and staff.

Tent encampments of protesters are calling on universities and colleges to stop doing business with Israel or firms they say support the brutal war in Gaza.

More than 2,100 protesters have been arrested over the last two weeks at universities across the US, including the University of Texas at Austin, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

*) Palestinian journalists win World Press Freedom Prize for Gaza war coverage

UNESCO — the UN body that promotes world peace and security — has awarded its World Press Freedom Prize to all Palestinian journalists covering the war in Gaza, where Israel has turned the tiny Palestinian enclave into the "deadliest" place for journalists.

Audrey Azoulay, director general at UNESCO, said the prize paid "tribute to the courage of journalists facing difficult and dangerous circumstances."

May 3, 2024

*) Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate eastern Rafah

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-israeli-army-tells-palestinians-to-evacuate-eastern-rafah-18049490

The Israeli army has initiated evacuations in certain neighbourhoods near the border in the East of Rafah.

An Israeli army spokesperson urged Palestinian residents and displaced persons in several areas east of Rafah to evacuate immediately towards the al Mawasi area, according to state television KAN.

Despite growing international opposition, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed Israel will invade Rafah, home to more than 1.4 million displaced Palestinians.

*) Israeli police raid Al Jazeera office after decision to close broadcaster

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/israeli-police-raid-al-jazeera-office-after-decision-to-close-broadcaster-18039282 

Israeli police have conducted a raid on the office of Qatar-owned Al Jazeera television in occupied East Jerusalem.

The police seized Al Jazeera’s equipment shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his government had decided to close its operations in Israel.

Global human rights organisations and press bodies have criticised the decision, accusing the government of silencing dissent amid Israel's Gaza war.

*) US police arrest nearly 2,500 students at pro-Palestine rallies

https://www.trtworld.com/us-and-canada/us-police-arrest-nearly-2500-students-at-pro-palestine-rallies-18049713 

Nearly 2,500 people have been arrested at pro-Palestinian rallies held at college and university campuses across the United States. 
According to CNN's latest report, the number of arrests since April 18 has exceeded 2,200, while Fox News's report says over 2,400 arrests have been made in total.
As demonstrations are expected to continue in the coming weeks, particularly during graduation ceremonies, campus officials are adding extra police security.
*) Russian strikes on Kharkiv kill one, injures dozens — Ukrainian officials

https://www.trtworld.com/europe/russian-strikes-on-kharkiv-kill-one-injures-dozens-ukrainian-officials-18049179 

On Orthodox Easter Sunday, Russian drone and aerial bombs attacks resulted in casualties and injuries in Ukraine's northeastern city of Kharkiv and its surrounding region. 
Regional officials reported that a woman lost her life after being buried under rubble, and 24 individuals were injured in the assaults.
And finally…

*) Hundreds protest Israel's participation in Eurovision Song Contest
https://www.trtworld.com/arts-and-culture/hundreds-protest-israels-participation-in-eurovision-song-contest-18031454 

Protests against Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest on May 11 have emerged in the Swedish capital of Stockholm. 
Hundreds of demonstrators assembled in front of the Swedish Foreign Ministry, calling for a boycott of Israel's involvement in the Eurovision event scheduled to take place in Malmo, Sweden.

Two more demonstrations are planned to be held in Malmo, in which thousands of activists supporting Palestine from various European cities are expected to join.

May 6, 2024

*) Israel claims control of Rafah crossing, Hamas agreed to permanent ceasefire in Gaza

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-israel-claims-control-of-gazas-rafah-crossing-ahead-of-invasion-18059566

The Israeli army has said it took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt and that its troops were "scanning the area."

Earlier, Hamas said it agreed to a proposal to end the war in Gaza, including a three-stage truce with the goal of a lasting ceasefire.

Each phase would last 42 days and include plans for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, return of displaced Palestinians and an exchange of hostages and prisoners.

*)  Israeli tanks enter southern Gaza city of Rafah

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-israeli-tanks-enter-southern-gaza-city-of-rafah-report-18059566

Israeli tanks have entered the southern besieged Gaza city of Rafah, reaching as close as 200 metres from its crossing with neighbouring Egypt. 

The Egyptian official said the "operation" appeared to be limited in scope. 

Israeli officials informed the Egyptians that their troops would withdraw after completing the "operation."

*) Putin orders nuclear drills to counter 'Western threats'

https://www.trtworld.com/europe/putin-orders-nuclear-drills-to-counter-western-threats-18052049

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered new nuclear weapons drills in the face of Western "threats." 

Russia's defence ministry has said that the exercises would be held in the "near future" and involve the air force, navy and troops stationed near Ukraine.

Putin has upped his nuclear rhetoric, warning in an address to the nation in February that there was a "real" risk of nuclear war.


*) UNGA to vote on recognising Palestine as full UN member

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/unga-to-vote-on-recognising-palestine-as-full-un-member-18063245

The United Nations General Assembly could vote on Friday on a draft resolution that would recognise Palestine as qualified to become a full UN member.

It would effectively act as a global survey of how much support Palestine has for their bid, which was vetoed in the UN Security Council last month by the United States.

Diplomats say the 193-member General Assembly is likely to back the Palestinian bid.

And finally…

*) Columbia cancels graduation ceremony amid pro-Palestine campus protests

https://www.trtworld.com/us-and-canada/columbia-cancels-graduation-ceremony-amid-pro-palestine-campus-protests-18061403

Columbia University has cancelled its main graduation ceremony, as colleges seek to contain the demonstrations that have rocked campuses for weeks.

The Ivy League school in New York, where at least 100 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested last week, cited security concerns as it cancelled the ceremony scheduled for May 15.

Some students angry at the decision signed an online petition to overturn the decision and had already collected more than 1,400 signatures.

May 7, 2024

*) Israel kills 7 members of same family in strike on Gaza home

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-israel-kills-7-members-of-same-family-in-strike-on-gaza-home-18075856 


An Israeli air strike targeted a home in Gaza, killing at least seven members of the same family and wounding several others.
Al-Ahli Hospital in the besieged enclave reported these casualties, adding to the toll of violence in the region. 
Eyewitnesses have also noted strikes in other parts of Gaza, notably around Rafah. 
*)  UN running out of fuel in Gaza as border crossings remain shut 
https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-israel-kills-7-members-of-same-family-in-strike-on-gaza-home-18075856 


A critical situation is unfolding in Gaza as essential diesel fuel for pumping drinking water, maintaining communications, and delivering aid is running out.

This alarming development follows Israel's closure of two key crossing points into the territory. 

According to Andrea De Domenico, head of the UN's humanitarian office in the Palestinian territories, Israel's military offensive and evacuation order in Rafah have led to the forced displacement of tens of thousands of people. 
The area designated by Israel lacks basic necessities like latrines, water points, shelter, and health facilities, as it mainly consists of sand dunes. 

*) Clashes, arrests as pro-Palestine student protests spread across Europe
https://www.trtworld.com/europe/clashes-arrests-as-pro-palestine-student-protests-spread-across-europe-18070183 


Student protests demanding universities sever ties with Israel due to Israel's brutal war on Gaza have gained momentum across Europe. 
Demonstrations in the Netherlands, Germany, and France saw police intervention as students voiced their opposition to ongoing partnerships with Israeli institutions. 
Inspired by similar actions in the US, where campuses have seen sustained protests, European students have taken to occupying university spaces, demanding an immediate end to these ties in light of Israel's aggressive actions in Gaza.

*) Ukraine thwarts alleged Russian plot to murder Zelenskyy, two arrested

https://www.trtworld.com/europe/ukraine-thwarts-alleged-russian-plot-to-murder-zelenskyy-two-arrested-18068292 

Ukraine's state security service has disclosed the thwarting of an assassination plot against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top officials.
Two individuals, identified as colonels in Ukraine's state guard service, were apprehended for their involvement in the scheme orchestrated by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). 
These agents, who leaked classified information to Moscow, were tasked with kidnapping someone close to the presidential guard to later execute Zelenskyy, according to the Security Service of Ukraine.
And finally …..

*) Eurovision kicking off with pop, protests as war on Gaza casts shadow

https://www.trtworld.com/arts-and-culture/eurovision-kicking-off-with-pop-protests-as-war-on-gaza-casts-shadow-18069788 


Competition in the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicks off in Sweden, with the war in Gaza casting a shadow over the sequin-spangled pop extravaganza.

Performers representing countries across Europe and beyond took the stage on Tuesday in the first of two semifinals in the Swedish city of Malmo.

It and a second semifinal on Thursday will winnow a field of 37 nations to 26 who will compete in Saturday’s final against a backdrop of both parties and protests.

However, the presence of Israel as a participant has sparked controversy, leading to planned demonstrations on Thursday and Saturday denouncing its war on Gaza, where nearly 35,000 Palestinians have been killed.

May 8, 2024

*) US won't supply weapons to Israel if it invades Gaza's Rafah city — Biden

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/us-wont-supply-weapons-to-israel-if-it-invades-gazas-rafah-city-biden-18086860

US President Joe Biden has said America will not supply weapons or artillery shells to ally Israel if Tel Aviv invades southern Gaza's Rafah city.

Biden admitted in an interview with CNN that “bombs the US has supplied to Israel and now paused have been used to kill civilians.”

He said he “made it clear that if [Israeli troops] go into Rafah…” the US will not supply the weapons that have been used historically there.

However, he also said the US was still committed to Israel's so-called “defence” and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other arms.

*)  Israel pounds overcrowded Gaza's Rafah as truce talks resume in Cairo

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/israel-pounds-overcrowded-gazas-rafah-as-truce-talks-resume-in-cairo-18078947

Meanwhile in Gaza, Israel has bombarded Rafah, where it has launched a ground invasion, as talks resume in Cairo aimed at agreeing the terms of a ceasefire.

This week Israel sent tanks into Rafah and seized the nearby crossing into Egypt that is the main conduit for aid into the Palestinian territory.

Then overnight heavy Israeli strikes and shelling hit across Gaza as Palestinians scrambled in the dark to pull survivors out from under the rubble of buildings.

*) Medics uncover 49 bodies from new mass grave at Gaza's al-Shifa hospital

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/medics-uncover-49-bodies-from-new-mass-grave-at-gazas-al-shifa-hospital-18080518

Gaza health workers have uncovered at least 49 bodies at al Shifa hospital, the latest such discovery at the facility previously raided by Israeli forces.

Motassem Salah, head of the emergency department at al Shifa, told journalists that "a third mass grave was found inside this hospital”.

So far 520 bodies have been recovered from "seven mass graves" found at three different hospitals across Gaza in recent weeks.

*) Russia's Putin set to mark Victory Day as Ukraine feels the pinch

https://www.trtworld.com/europe/ukraine-thwarts-alleged-russian-plot-to-murder-zelenskyy-two-arrested-18068292 

Russian President Vladimir Putin is all set to address the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow, an event he hopes will rally patriotism as his forces advance in Ukraine.

The May 9 parade marks the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II and has become one of Russia's most important public holidays under President Putin.

The Russian leader has repeatedly framed the current fight against Ukraine as an existential battle against "Nazism"

*) Eric Saade wears Palestinian keffiyeh during Eurovision performance

https://www.trtworld.com/europe/eric-saade-wears-palestinian-keffiyeh-during-eurovision-performance-18085450

Swedish singer Eric Saade has performed at the semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh around his wrist.

A keffiyeh is a Palestinian scarf that symbolises support of Palestine and protests against Israel’s war on Gaza.

He was one of three contestants who opened this year’s Eurovision contest in Malmo city in southern Sweden, which has faced calls for Israel to be excluded.

May 9, 2024

*) Hamas says 'ball is completely' in Israel's hands in truce talks

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/live-blog-no-aid-entering-gaza-despite-israeli-claims-authority-18099759 

Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced that its delegation attending Gaza ceasefire negotiations in Cairo had left the city for Qatar, adding that the "ball is now completely" in Israel's hands.

The group said in a statement, “In practice, the occupation rejected the proposal submitted by the mediators and raised objections to it on several central issues."

*)  UN General Assembly set to back Palestinian bid for membership

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/un-general-assembly-set-to-back-palestinian-bid-for-membership-18102557 


The United Nations General Assembly is set to back a Palestinian bid to become a full UN member by recognising it as qualified to join and sending the application back to the UN Security Council to "reconsider the matter favorably".

The Palestinians are reviving their bid to become a full UN member - a move that would effectively recognise a Palestinian state - after the United States vetoed it in the 15-member UN Security Council last month.

The vote by the 193-member General Assembly on Friday will act as a global survey of support for the Palestinians. Diplomats said the draft text is likely to get the support needed to be adopted.


*) Chad declares Deby Itno winner of presidential election

https://www.trtworld.com/africa/chad-declares-deby-itno-winner-of-presidential-election-18099307 

Chad's Transitional President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has been declared the winner of this week's presidential election, according to provisional results.
The national agency that manages Chad's election released results weeks earlier than planned.
 
The figures showed Deby Itno won with just over 61 percent of the vote, with the runner-up Succes Masra falling far behind with over 18.5 percent of the vote.

*) Europe must 'deliver' on promised military aid to Ukraine: EU official

https://www.trtworld.com/europe/europe-must-deliver-on-promised-military-aid-to-ukraine-eu-official-18093247 

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola has urged Europe to follow through with the aid it has promised Ukraine and increase support to the war-torn country.

She was in Kiev on Europe Day to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who praised the European efforts but said Russia had used delays to gain momentum on the battlefield.
Metsola said that Europeans need to take responsibility intensify our support for Ukraine. 

And finally...

*) OpenAI set to launch AI-powered search product to rival Google

https://www.trtworld.com/science-and-tech/openai-set-to-launch-ai-powered-search-product-to-rival-google-18101841 

OpenAI plans to announce its artificial intelligence-powered search product next week, according to two sources familiar with the matter, raising the stakes in its competition with search king Google.

Bloomberg and the Information have reported that Microsoft-backed OpenAI is working on a search product to potentially compete with Alphabet's Google and with Perplexity, a well-funded AI search startup. 

OpenAI declined to comment.

May 10, 2024

A summary of today's impactful news stories from around the world hand-picked by our staff at TRT World.

August 8, 2022

Daily News Brief

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