Egypt's counter plan on Gaza, and official says SDF will not lay down arms
The National has learnt details of Egypt's plan countering US President Donald Trump's proposed takeover of Gaza. The US-backed, mostly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces in control of large parts of Syria will not give up its weapons as long as ISIS remains active on Syrian territory. Lebanon said it will consider any remaining Israeli presence on its land an occupation.
Egypt's five-year plan for Gaza reconstruction includes safe zones and independent Palestinian agency
Syria's Kurds to 'lay down weapons when ISIS fight is over'
Lebanon warns it may use 'all means' to force full Israeli withdrawal
This episode features Kamal Tabikha in Cairo and Sunniva Rose in Paris.
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Gulf Today
an hour ago
- Gulf Today
France opens 'complicity in genocide' probes over blocked Gaza aid
French anti-terror prosecutors have opened probes into "complicity in genocide" and "incitement to genocide" after French-Israelis allegedly blocked aid intended for war-torn Gaza last year, they said on Friday. The two investigations, opened after legal complaints, were also to look into possible "complicity in crimes against humanity" between January and May 2024, the anti-terror prosecutor's office (PNAT) said. They are the first known probes in France to be looking into alleged violations of international law in Gaza, several sources with knowledge of the cases told AFP. In a separate case made public on the same day, the grandmother of two children with French nationality who were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza has filed a legal complaint in Paris, accusing Israel of "genocide" and "murder," her lawyer said. The French judiciary has jurisdiction when French citizens are involved in such cases. Rights groups, lawyers and some Israeli historians have described the Gaza war as "genocide." A demonstrator holds a placard reading 'Stop links EU Israel now' during a gathering against a shipment of Eurolinks military equipment parts set to go to Israel, in Marseille. AFP In the first, the Jewish French Union for Peace (UFJP) and a French-Palestinian victim filed a complaint in November targeting alleged French members of hardline pro-Israel groups "Israel is forever" and "Tzav-9." It accused them of "physically" preventing the passage of trucks at border checkpoints controlled by the Israeli army. Lawyers for the plaintiffs, Damia Taharraoui and Marion Lafouge, told AFP they were happy a probe had been launched into the events in January 2024 — "a time when no-one wanted to hear anything about genocide." A source close to the case said prosecutors last month urged the investigation in relation to events at the Nitzana crossing point between Egypt and Israel, and the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel into Gaza. A pedestrian walks past placards on the ground reading 'France profits off genocides to sell weapons' during a gathering against a shipment of military equipment parts set to be sent to Israel, in Marseille. AFP Around that time, hardline Israeli protesters — including friends and relatives of hostages held in Gaza — blocked aid lorries from entering the occupied Palestinian territory and forced them to turn back at Kerem Shalom. A second complaint from a group called the Lawyers for Justice in the Middle East (CAPJO) accused members of "Israel is forever" of having blocked aid trucks. It used photos, videos and public statements to back up its complaint. 'Genocide' complaint No court has so far concluded that the ongoing conflict is a genocide. But in rulings in January, March and May 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations' highest judicial organ, told Israel to do everything possible to "prevent" acts of genocide during its military operations in Gaza, including through allowing in urgently needed aid. In the separate case, Jacqueline Rivault, the grandmother of six- and nine-year-old children killed in an Israeli strike, filed her complaint accusing Israel of "genocide" and "murder" with the crimes against humanity section of the Court of Paris, lawyer Arie Alimi said. Though formally against unnamed parties, the complaint explicitly targets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli government and the military. The complaint states that an Israeli missile strike killed Janna, six, and Abderrahim Abudaher, nine, in northern Gaza on October 24, 2023. "We believe these children are dead as part of a deliberate organised policy targeting the whole of Gaza's population with a possible genocidal intent," Alimi said. The children's brother Omar, now five, was severely wounded but still lives in Gaza with their mother, identified as Yasmine Z., the complaint said. Agence France-Presse
Gulf Today
an hour ago
- Gulf Today
Russian CB cuts key rate to 20%, inflation slowing down
The Russian central bank cut its key interest rate by one percentage point to 20 per cent on Friday, saying economic growth is cooling down and inflation is slowing. 'Current inflationary pressures, including underlying ones, continue to decline. While domestic demand growth is still outstripping the capabilities to expand the supply of goods and services, the Russian economy is gradually returning to a balanced growth path,' the bank said in a statement. A Reuters poll had predicted that the central bank would keep the key rate on hold. It had been at 21 per cent since last October to curb inflation in the overheated economy, which is focused on the needs of the military fighting in Ukraine. As a result, Russia's economic growth rate fell to 1.5 per cent year-on-year in the first four months of 2025, compared to 4.3 per cent last year, prompting sharp criticism of central bank governor Elvira Nabiullina. Consumer prices have risen by 3.39 per cent since the start of the year, compared to 3.88 per cent in the same period last year, while the annualised inflation rate fell below 10 per cent in May after peaking at 10.34 per cent in March. The central bank forecasts inflation this year at 7 per cent to 8 per cent and economic growth at 1 per cent to 2 per cent. The Economy Ministry is more optimistic, predicting growth of 2.5 per cent. The strengthening of the rouble, which has rallied by about 40 per cent against the dollar since the start of the year, has aided the central bank in its fight against inflation by making imported goods cheaper. Its rise has been largely thanks to US President Donald Trump's efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table. But most analysts agree that without any sign of a breakthrough in the talks, the rouble is waiting for a trigger to start falling. 'Tight monetary policy has a particularly strong effect on the decrease in prices for non-food goods, including through the rouble appreciation,' the central bank said. Inflationary expectations among households, an important gauge monitored by the central bank, rose for a second month in a row in May to a level last observed around the time of the last rate hike in October. Some analysts have linked the rise in inflationary expectations to a planned mid-year nationwide increase in payments for electricity, gas, water, and communal services for households, suggesting that the regulator might ignore the gauge this time. Food inflation, with prices for staples like potatoes tripling since last year due to a poor harvest, has severely affected Russia's poor. The harvest outlook for this year will heavily influence the central bank's thinking. 'As for food products and services, inflationary pressures remain high,' the bank said. The tight monetary policy, with the key rate at its highest level since the early 2000s and also the highest among major economies in the BRICS group, has made loans and debt financing, and therefore investment, inaccessible for many Russian firms. The central bank counters this by saying that its research shows enterprises in most sectors make enough profits to finance their investments and that the situation even in vulnerable sectors, such as construction, does not pose systemic risks. Meanwhile Russia's economic growth slowed to 1.4 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, the lowest quarterly figure in two years, data from the official state statistics agency showed on Friday. Economists have warned for months of a slowdown in the Russian economy, with falling oil prices, high interest rates and a downturn in manufacturing all contributing to headwinds. Moscow reported strong economic growth in 2023 and 2024, largely due to massive state defence spending on the Ukraine conflict. But economists have cautioned that growth driven by the defence industry is unsustainable and does not reflect a real increase in productivity. The Russian economy grew by 1.4 per cent year-on-year in the first three months of the year, the lowest quarterly figure since the first quarter of 2023, Rosstat data showed. The economy expanded 4.5 per cent in the previous quarter, according to the data. Prices have also been rising quickly across the Russian economy for months, driven up by massive government spending on the Ukraine conflict and deep labour shortages. Inflation in April remained above 10 per cent for the third month in a row, figures showed. Last month, the Russian central bank maintained its key interest rate at 21 per cent, with inflation starting to decline but new risks facing the Russian economy because of global economic turbulence triggered by US trade tariffs. 'A further decrease in the growth rate of the global economy and oil prices in case of escalating trade tensions may have proinflationary effects through the rouble exchange rate dynamics,' the central bank said in a statement. Agencies
Al Etihad
an hour ago
- Al Etihad
42 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip
7 June 2025 00:18 GAZA (WAM) Israeli strikes on Friday killed 42 Palestinians and injured others in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian News & Information Agency (WAFA). Israel has waged a military onslaught on the Strip since October 2023, killing at least 54,677 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 125,530 others.
