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A Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists has been diverted to Israel

A Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists has been diverted to Israel

JERUSALEM (AP) — A Gaza-bound aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists has been diverted to Israel, the Foreign Ministry said.
In a post on X, it said the boat 'is safely making its way to the shores of Israel.' The passengers 'are expected to return to their home countries,' it added, without providing further details.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which had organized the voyage to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and protest Israel's blockade of the territory, said the activists had been 'kidnapped by Israeli forces."
Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which set sail from Sicily a week ago.

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Iran carried out implosion tests for nuclear weapons development, IAEA reports
Iran carried out implosion tests for nuclear weapons development, IAEA reports

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time12 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Iran carried out implosion tests for nuclear weapons development, IAEA reports

A new IAEA report reveals Iran carried out undeclared nuclear tests, prompting calls to refer the case to the UN Security Council. Much of the IAEA report is based on evidence from the Mossad. The recent special International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on Iranian nuclear violations added many points, one being that Iran carried out multiple implosion tests, a key military skill necessary for developing the atomic bomb. Implosion tests do not have civilian nuclear uses. Notably, though much of the report refers to Iranian military activities from 20 years ago, Tehran's careful record-keeping means that any progress that the Islamic Republic made back then could be used to help with a more sudden, rapid push for a breakthrough to a nuclear weapon in 2025. The fact that it carried out various explosive tests also suggests that Iran is further along in other skills needed for developing a nuclear bomb, besides just enriching uranium, than many observers may have thought. This and multiple other findings are analyzed in detail in a position paper introduced this weekend by the Institute for Science and International Security, spearheaded by lead author and president David Albright. According to the think tank, the IAEA Board of Governors must refer Tehran's nuclear violations to the UN Security Council during its meeting, which opens on Monday and runs until June 13. All of this is occurring as the Islamic Republic and the US are the closest they have been to a new nuclear deal in years, but also not far from a possible collapse in the talks, which could lead to an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. In a more detailed analysis of the IAEA report, the think tank said that the agency discloses its assessment 'that Iran tested neutron initiators produced at Lavizan-Shian and cites specific dates, but notably, it does not mention a location.' Albright wrote that the IAEA report said instead that 'the EDNS [explosively driven neutron sources] produced at Lavizan-Shian were small-scale, designed for testing, and integrated into scaled implosion systems. [They were] tested on at least two occasions (on February 15 and July 3, 2003).' Next, the May 2025 report also stated anew that the IAEA found indications that 'equipment was developed and tested at Lavizan-Shian that included neutron detectors and housings' and that 'an identical housing for neutron detectors was deployed in an explosive test at Marivan on April 15, 2003.' Further, the IAEA report provided new information about the equipment and materials that were present at Varamin, saying, 'This equipment contained all of the essential equipment for a uranium conversion facility, including small but heavily contaminated (and possibly full) UF6 Cylinders, uranium extractants (such as tributyl phosphate (TBP), uranium extraction and conversion hardware, fluorine-based chemicals (hydrofluoric acid (HF) and potassium difluoride (KHF2), and radiation monitoring equipment.' Moreover, the IAEA said that in sorting the material and equipment and placing it into containers, Iran categorized the items as either 'essential' or 'nonessential.' This resulted in five containers being deemed 'essential' and eight containers being categorized as 'nonessential.' 'The operators of Varamin' also took into account the level of contamination with nuclear material and that one of the containers considered 'essential' was categorized as being 'the highest level of contamination,' containing 'small UF6 Cylinders and other 'special materials,'' according to Albright. The report also concludes that Lavizan-Shian, Marivan, and Varamin, as well as 'other possible related locations,' were 'part of an undeclared structured nuclear program.' It added that Iran retained nuclear material or related equipment from this program at Turquzabad from 2009 to 2018. The whereabouts of these resources is currently unknown. The IAEA also discussed and connected these activities to the missing amount of uranium that was once present at Iran's Jaber Ibn Hayan Multipurpose Laboratory (JHL). Also, Albright wrote that for the first time, 'the IAEA revealed its assessment that the four sites and missing nuclear material in Iran are directly connected.' Moreover, the think tank said that the report provided new information on the extent of Iranian attempts to sanitize locations of interest to the IAEA and provide false information when faced with questions. It stated that 'the provision of inaccurate and sometimes contradictory explanations seriously obstructed' the IAEA's efforts. The atomic watchdog agency said explicitly that although the matters on Lavizan-Shian and Marivan were 'no longer outstanding,' this did not mean the issues were 'resolved.' Much of the IAEA report originated from evidence brought to it by the Mossad, which seized Iran's nuclear archives in 2018.

Contractor in Syria uncovers a surprise beneath the rubble: an ancient tomb complex
Contractor in Syria uncovers a surprise beneath the rubble: an ancient tomb complex

Hamilton Spectator

time15 minutes ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Contractor in Syria uncovers a surprise beneath the rubble: an ancient tomb complex

MARAAT AL-NUMAN, Syria (AP) — A contractor digging into the earth where the rubble of a destroyed house had been cleared away in northern Syria stumbled across a surprise: the remains of an underground Byzantine tomb complex believed to be more than 1,500 years old. The discovery emerged last month in the town of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province , which is strategically located on the route between the cities of Aleppo and Damascus. The community became a touchpoint in the nearly 14-year Syrian civil war that ended with the fall of former President Bashar Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December. Assad's forces seized the area back from opposition control in 2020. Houses were looted and demolished. Aerial images of the area show many houses still standing but without roofs. Now residents are beginning to return and rebuild . In the course of a reconstruction project, stone openings were uncovered indicating the presence of ancient graves. Residents notified the directorate of antiquities, which dispatched a specialized team to inspect and secure the site. Aboveground, it's a residential neighborhood with rows of cinder-block buildings, many of them damaged in the war. Next to one of those buildings, a pit leads down to the openings of two burial chambers, each containing six stone tombs. The sign of the cross is etched into the top of one stone column. 'Based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found, this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era,' said Hassan al-Ismail, director of antiquities in Idlib. He noted that the discovery adds to an already rich collection of archeological sites in the area. Idlib 'has a third of the monuments of Syria, containing 800 archaeological sites in addition to an ancient city,' al-Ismail said. The Byzantine Empire, which began in the 4th century AD, was a continuation of the Roman empire with its capital in Constantinople — today's Istanbul — and Christianity as its official religion. Abandoned Byzantine-era settlements called Dead Cities stretch across rocky hills and plains in northwest Syria, their weathered limestone ruins featuring remnants of stone houses, basilicas, tombs and colonnaded streets. In the past, the owners of sites where archeological ruins were found sometimes covered them up, fearful that their property would be seized to preserve the ruins, said Ghiath Sheikh Diab, a resident of Maarat al-Numan who witnessed the moment when the tomb complex was uncovered. He said he hoped the new government will fairly compensate property owners in such cases and provide assistance to the displaced people who have returned to the area to find their homes destroyed. The years of war led to significant damage to Syria's archeological sites, not only from bombing but from looting and unauthorized digging. Some see in the ruins a sign of hope for economic renewal. Another local resident, Abed Jaafar, came with his son to explore the newly discovered tombs and take pictures. 'In the old days, a lot of foreign tourists used to come to Maarat just to see the ruins,' he said. 'We need to take care of the antiquities and restore them and return them to the way they were before … and this will help to bring back the tourism and the economy.' ___ Sewell reported from Damascus, Syria. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

Contractor in Syria uncovers a surprise beneath the rubble: an ancient tomb complex
Contractor in Syria uncovers a surprise beneath the rubble: an ancient tomb complex

Yahoo

time18 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Contractor in Syria uncovers a surprise beneath the rubble: an ancient tomb complex

MARAAT AL-NUMAN, Syria (AP) — A contractor digging into the earth where the rubble of a destroyed house had been cleared away in northern Syria stumbled across a surprise: the remains of an underground Byzantine tomb complex believed to be more than 1,500 years old. The discovery emerged last month in the town of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province, which is strategically located on the route between the cities of Aleppo and Damascus. The community became a touchpoint in the nearly 14-year Syrian civil war that ended with the fall of former President Bashar Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December. Assad's forces seized the area back from opposition control in 2020. Houses were looted and demolished. Aerial images of the area show many houses still standing but without roofs. Now residents are beginning to return and rebuild. In the course of a reconstruction project, stone openings were uncovered indicating the presence of ancient graves. Residents notified the directorate of antiquities, which dispatched a specialized team to inspect and secure the site. Aboveground, it's a residential neighborhood with rows of cinder-block buildings, many of them damaged in the war. Next to one of those buildings, a pit leads down to the openings of two burial chambers, each containing six stone tombs. The sign of the cross is etched into the top of one stone column. 'Based on the presence of the cross and the pottery and glass pieces that were found, this tomb dates back to the Byzantine era,' said Hassan al-Ismail, director of antiquities in Idlib. He noted that the discovery adds to an already rich collection of archeological sites in the area. Idlib "has a third of the monuments of Syria, containing 800 archaeological sites in addition to an ancient city,' al-Ismail said. The Byzantine Empire, which began in the 4th century AD, was a continuation of the Roman empire with its capital in Constantinople — today's Istanbul — and Christianity as its official religion. Abandoned Byzantine-era settlements called Dead Cities stretch across rocky hills and plains in northwest Syria, their weathered limestone ruins featuring remnants of stone houses, basilicas, tombs and colonnaded streets. In the past, the owners of sites where archeological ruins were found sometimes covered them up, fearful that their property would be seized to preserve the ruins, said Ghiath Sheikh Diab, a resident of Maarat al-Numan who witnessed the moment when the tomb complex was uncovered. He said he hoped the new government will fairly compensate property owners in such cases and provide assistance to the displaced people who have returned to the area to find their homes destroyed. The years of war led to significant damage to Syria's archeological sites, not only from bombing but from looting and unauthorized digging. Some see in the ruins a sign of hope for economic renewal. Another local resident, Abed Jaafar, came with his son to explore the newly discovered tombs and take pictures. 'In the old days, a lot of foreign tourists used to come to Maarat just to see the ruins,' he said. 'We need to take care of the antiquities and restore them and return them to the way they were before … and this will help to bring back the tourism and the economy.' ___ Sewell reported from Damascus, Syria.

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