UN marine conservation conference kicks off in France
The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) opened in Nice on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron urging immediate action to protect the world's oceans.
"We need swift action, not retreat," he said during his opening speech.
Representatives of 130 countries are gathering in the French coastal city until Friday.
Key topics on the agenda include tackling plastic pollution, expanding marine protected areas in international waters and debating the controversial extraction of raw materials from the deep sea.
France - the world's second-largest maritime nation after the United States - is also pushing for progress on binding international agreements to safeguard the high seas.
Co-hosted by Costa Rica and France, the conference is aiming to to come closer to the 60 ratifications needed for the key High Seas Treaty to come into force.
So far, 32 countries ratified the agreement, which was adopted in June 2023 and aims to protect ocean's biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
The first two meetings were held in New York in 2017 and Lisbon in 2022.
The event is expected to conclude on Friday with the "Nice Action Plan," a package of voluntary commitments made by participating nations.
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Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Greta Thunberg among Gaza-flotilla activists deported from Israel
June 10 (UPI) -- Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was on a flight to France on Tuesday en route home to Sweden after being deported from Israel a day after the Gaza-bound aid yacht she was on was intercepted by the Israeli military off the coast of Egypt and diverted to Israel. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the 22-year-old left the country and posted photos on X of her boarding what appeared to be a commercial flight and sitting in an aisle seat with her belt fastened. It had been only around 12 hours since the British-flagged Madleen arrived at the southern Israeli port of Ashdod under Israeli naval escort late Monday. She was accompanied by at least one French citizen who had also voluntarily agreed to be deported, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, but in a post on X, he said five other French nationals in the group would be subject to "a forced expulsion process." Barrot said the detained French citizens had consular access. Le Monde reported that European Parliament Member Rima Hassan was among the French contingent detained. The status of the other five people aboard the vessel -- from Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and Brazil -- was unclear, but the Foreign Ministry said those who refused to sign deportation documents and leave Israel would be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation. It stressed that all the detainees had met with officials from their respective consulates. Israeli authorities, which have dismissed the mission by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition as a publicity stunt by celebrities, dubbing the effort the "selfie yacht," attempted to sway the activists by showing them a graphic 43-minute video of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on the orders of Israeli President Israel Katz. "I instructed the IDF to show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the Oct. 7 massacre when they arrive at the port of Ashdod. It is appropriate that the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas supporters see exactly who the Hamas terrorist organization they came to support and for whom they work is, what atrocities they committed against women, the elderly, and children, and against whom Israel is fighting to defend itself," Katz wrote on X. Katz claimed the group refused to continue watching once they found out what it was about. The FFC posted on social media in the early hours of Monday that the Madleen was under siege in international waters off Egypt, "surrounded by quadcopters", being doused with "a white irritant substance," and that its communications systems had been electronically jammed. "The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo -- including baby formula, food and medical supplies -- confiscated," it said in a statement. Israel issued photos of activists being handed sandwiches and water by Israeli military personnel with a caption stating the group were on their way to Israel and "in good spirits, but the Israeli version of events was disputed by Thunberg in a video released by FFC. "If you see this video we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces or forces that support Israel," she said in the 25 second clip on X in which she also urged her family and friends to lobby the Swedish government to push for their release as soon as possible. The Madleen set sail from Catania on Sicily, loaded with life-saving supplies on June 1 in an effort to break an 80-day blockade on international aid entering Gaza imposed by Israel after it pulled out of a U.S.-brokered cease-fire deal that lasted from January to March. In early May, Thunberg was scheduled to board another FFC vessel, the 1,000-ton Conscience, attempting to sail to Gaza when it was badly damaged in an alleged drone strike off Malta in the western Mediterranean. FFC said the vessel had been en route to Malta to pick up volunteers from at least 21 countries who had traveled to the island to join the mission when it was attacked, among them Thunberg and retired U.S. Army Colonel Mary Ann Wright. In May 2010, nine people involved in a similar mission to Gaza were killed and many others seriously wounded when Israeli forces intercepted the Mavi Marmara, part of a flotilla of six vessels, in international waters. A U.N. Panel of Inquiry ruled that the loss of life and injuries resulting from the use of force by Israeli forces during their takeover of the vessel were unacceptable and that they had provided no satisfactory explanation for any of the nine deaths, all of which were from gunshot wounds. "There was significant mistreatment of passengers by Israeli authorities after the takeover of the vessels had been completed through until their deportation. This included physical mistreatment, harassment and intimidation, unjustified confiscation of belongings and the denial of timely consular assistance." However, the report noted that Israeli Defense Forces personnel were confronted by significant, organized and violent resistance when they boarded the Mavi Marmara, requiring them to defend themselves, and that three soldiers were taken hostage and several others wounded. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Israel deports Greta Thunberg after Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel deported activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday, the country's Foreign Ministry said, a day after the Gaza-bound ship she was on was seized by the Israeli military. Thunberg left on a flight to France and was then headed to her home country of Sweden, the Foreign Ministry said in a post on X. It posted a photo of Thunberg, a climate activist who shuns air travel, seated on a plane. Speaking upon arrival at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport, Thunberg called for the release of the other activists who were detained aboard the Freedom Flotilla. She described a 'quite chaotic and uncertain' situation during the detention. She said the conditions they faced 'are absolutely nothing compared to what people are going through in Palestine and especially Gaza right now.' 'We were well aware of the risks of this mission,' Thunberg added. 'The aim was to get to Gaza and to be able to distribute the aid.' She said the activists would continue trying to get aid to Gaza. Thunberg was one of 12 passengers on the Madleen, a ship carrying aid to Gaza that was meant to protest Israel's ongoing war there and shed light on the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group behind the journey. Israeli naval forces seized the boat without incident early Monday about 200 kilometers (125 miles) off of Gaza's coast, according to the coalition, which along with rights groups, said Israel's actions were a violation of international law. Israel rejects that charge because it says such ships intend to breach what it argues is a lawful naval blockade of Gaza. The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in the Israeli port of Ashdod Monday evening, according to the Foreign Ministry. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said three activists, including Thunberg, had been deported along with a journalist. It said it had encouraged some of the group to do this so they could speak freely about their experiences. Eight other passengers refused deportation and were being held in detention before their case is to be heard by Israeli authorities. Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel representing the activists, said the eight were expected to be brought before a court later Tuesday. 'Their detention is unlawful, politically motivated and a direct violation of international law,' the coalition said in a statement. It called for the remaining passengers to be released without deportation and said their lawyers would demand that they be allowed to complete their journey to Gaza. Sabine Haddad, a spokeswoman for Israel's Interior Ministry, said the activists who were being deported Tuesday had waived their right to appear before a judge. Those who did not will face one and will be held for 96 hours before being deported, she said. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was also among the passengers on board the Madleen. She has previously been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. It was not clear whether she was being immediately deported or detained. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday that one of the detained French activists signed an expulsion order and will leave Israel on Tuesday for France. The other five refused. He said all the activists received consular visits. Sergio Toribio, a Spanish activist who was deported, slammed Israel's actions after he arrived in Barcelona. 'It is unforgivable, it is a violation of our rights. It is a pirate attack in international waters,' he told reporters. On Monday, Adalah, the rights group, said that Israel had 'no legal authority' to take over the ship, because the group said it was in international waters and it was headed not to Israel but to the 'territorial waters of the state of Palestine.' 'The arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of international law,' Adalah said in a statement. Amnesty International said Israel was flouting international law with the naval raid and called on Israel to release the activists immediately and unconditionally. Israel said its actions were consistent with international law. Israel viewed the ship as a publicity stunt, calling it the 'selfie yacht.' Israeli officials said that the flotilla was bringing 'meager' aid with what amounted to less than a truckload of goods. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population. During the 20-month-long war in Gaza, Israel has restricted and sometimes blocked all aid into the territory, including food, fuel and medicine. Experts say that policy has pushed Gaza toward famine. Israel says Hamas siphons off the aid to bolster its rule. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack that ignited the war and took 251 hostages, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants but has said that women and children make up most of the dead. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the territory's population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on international aid. ___ Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris, Teresa Medrano in Madrid, Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem and Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
UK pumps £14 bn into nuclear plant on path to net zero
The UK government Tuesday said it will invest billions of pounds in the new Sizewell C nuclear power plant as it strives to meet net zero and energy security targets. The £14.2-billion ($19-billion) investment will end "years of delay and uncertainty", the UK Treasury said in a statement, adding it would unlock a "golden age" of nuclear power to "boost the UK's energy security". The latest injection is part of budget announcements by finance minister Rachel Reeves, who is due to detail her spending priorities on Wednesday, with defence and health at the forefront. The government on Tuesday also announced that British manufacturer Rolls-Royce had won a competition to become the preferred bidder to build small modular nuclear reactors in the UK. SMRs are aimed at cutting the costs and complexity of building nuclear power stations. "The UK is back where it belongs, taking the lead in the technologies of tomorrow," Reeves said. The government added that it would invest more than £2.5 billion in nuclear fusion over five years in what it called a "record investment" for the nascent technology. - Nuclear rollout - The Labour government, which took over from the Conservatives in July, has promised to deliver "the biggest nuclear rollout program for a generation". The UK has refocused on shoring up nuclear power since the start of the war in Ukraine, in the name of energy security and faced with a fleet of ageing power stations. Britain's government is the majority shareholder in the Sizewell C plant being built in eastern England, after Chinese company CGN left the project and the other partner, French energy giant EDF, scaled back its involvement. The UK is searching for another partner to join the project, then will deliver a "final investment decision", Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said Tuesday. The Sizewell C project, which comprises two EPR nuclear reactors each with 1.6 gigawatts capacity, could cost a total £20-30 billion to build. The sum could be even higher, according to some estimates which are disputed by the government and EDF, and it is not expected to start generating electricity until 2035. "Today marks the start of an exciting new chapter for Sizewell C, the UK's first British-owned nuclear power plant in over 30 years," said joint managing directors of the project Julia Pyke and Nigel Cann. The government wants to increase nuclear power's share of the energy mix, as it does not emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Starmer's government has pledged by 2035 to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by 81 percent on 1990 levels, under plans to reach net-zero by 2050. The use of nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels is highly controversial, however, with many environmental groups warning about safety risks and the disposal of nuclear waste. The Sizewell C announcement has been met with anger by some local residents worried about the impact of the new plant on the local town of Leiston in Suffolk. Near to Sizewell C is the Sizewell B nuclear power station which is due to close in 2035 -- and Sizewell A which is in the process of being decommissioned. EDF is also building the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in southwestern England, although it has been blighted by delays and rising construction costs. "The government's decision to move ahead with Sizewell C is fantastic news for Britain, its energy security and economic growth," said EDF Energy chief executive Simone Rossi. bur-ajb/bcp/lth
