Al Mayadeen TV reported that the most violent clashes took place in Afrin

Israel's army yet again ordered the evacuation of parts of southern Gaza on Monday following a rare rocket barrage claimed by militant group Islamic Jihad. The Israeli military said about «20 projectiles were identified crossing from the area of Khan Yunis» in southern Gaza, in a rare salvo after nearly nine months of devastating conflict. The rockets were aimed at Israeli communities near the Gaza border and were fired in retaliation for Israeli «crimes... against our Palestinian people», said the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad militant group which has fought alongside Hamas. Most launches were intercepted, the Israeli military said, reporting no casualties and adding that artillery was «striking the sources of the fire». This was followed by an order to evacuate Al-Qarara, Bani Suhaila and other towns in Rafah and Khan Yunis, nearly two months after an initial order to evacuate Rafah ahead of a ground offensive. Prior to the ground incursion in Rafah, well over one million people had been displaced to the southernmost city. «Fear and extreme anxiety have gripped people after the evacuation order,» said Bani Suhaila resident Ahmad Najjar. «There is a large displacement of residents.» Witnesses and the civil defence agency reported Israeli air strikes including in the southern Rafah area and the central Nuseirat refugee camp. - 'Difficult fight' - Witnesses also reported constant Israeli tank fire in Gaza City's Shujaiya district where battles raged for a fifth day. An AFP correspondent reported Israeli helicopters firing on houses in Shujaiya, while Hamas's armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said it was continuing to fight in Shujaiya and Rafah. The Israeli military said troops «eliminated numerous terrorists» in raids in Shujaiya, where air strikes also killed «approximately 20» militants. The military also announced the death of a soldier in southern Gaza, bringing its total toll during the ground offensive to 317. Netanyahu, who recently declared that the «intense phase» of the war was winding down, said on Sunday troops were «operating in Rafah, Shujaiya, everywhere in the Gaza Strip». «This is a difficult fight that is being waged above ground... and below ground» in tunnels. The war started with Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. The militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza including 42 the army says are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,900 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. Months of on-and-off talks towards a truce and hostage release deal have made little progress, with Hamas saying Saturday there was «nothing new» in a revised plan presented by US mediators. - 'Torture' - Israeli authorities released Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Gaza City's Al-Shifa hospital, along with dozens of other detainees returned Monday to Gaza for treatment, sparking anger from Netanyahu. Successive Israeli raids have reduced large parts of Al-Shifa, the territory's largest medical complex, to rubble. Israel has accused Hamas of using Al-Shifa and other hospitals in Gaza as a cover for military operations, claims the militants have rejected. Speaking after his release, Abu Salmiya said he had suffered «severe torture» during his detention since November. «Detainees were subjected to physical and psychological humiliation» and «several inmates died in interrogation centres and were deprived of food and medicine», he said. Israel's Shin Bet intelligence agency said it had decided on the release alongside the Israeli military «to free up places in detention centres». The agency said it «opposed the release of terrorists» who had taken part in attacks on Israeli civilians «so it was decided to free several Gaza detainees who represent a lesser danger». But Netanyahu said he had ordered the agency to conduct an investigation into the release and provide him with the results by Tuesday. «The release of the director of Shifa Hospital is a serious mistake and a moral failure. The place of this man, under whose responsibility our abductees were murdered and held, is in prison,» Netanyahu said in a statement. According to Abu Salmiya, no charges were ever brought against him. The United Nations and relief agencies have voiced alarm over the dire humanitarian crisis and the threat of starvation the war and Israeli siege have brought for Gaza's 2.4 million people. The UN humanitarian agency OCHA reported that during the entire month of June, Israeli authorities facilitated less than half of 115 planned humanitarian assistance missions to northern Gaza. In a displacement camp in Gaza's Deir al-Balah, pharmacist Sami Hamid said skin infections were on the rise, particularly among children, «because of the hot weather and lack of clean water». «The number of skin infections has increased, especially scabies and chickenpox,» as have hepatitis cases probably linked to untreated sewage flowing right beside tents, said Hamid. © Agence France-Presse

Hurricane Beryl -- the earliest-ever Category 4 storm in the Atlantic -- swept quickly across several islands in the southeastern Caribbean on Monday, dumping heavy rain and unleashing devastating winds as it churned towards Jamaica. Carriacou Island, which is part of Grenada, took a direct hit early in the day from the storm's «extremely dangerous eyewall,» with sustained winds at upwards of 150 miles (240 kilometers) per hour, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Nearby islands, including Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, also experienced «catastrophic winds and life-threatening storm surge» according to the NHC. Video obtained by AFP from St. George's in Grenada showed heavy downpours with trees buffeted by gusts. «In half an hour, Carriacou was flattened,» Grenada's Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell told a press conference. «We are not yet out of the woods,» Mitchell added, noting that while there were no deaths reported so far, he could not say for sure that none had occurred. Later on social media, Mitchell said the government was working to get relief supplies to both Carriacou and the island of Petite Martinique on Tuesday. «The state of emergency is still in effect. Remain indoors,» he wrote on Facebook. - Rare early strong storm - Beryl became the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season on Saturday and quickly strengthened to Category 4. Experts say that such a powerful storm forming this early in the Atlantic hurricane season -- which runs from early June to late November -- is extremely rare. It is the first hurricane since NHC records began to reach the Category 4 level in June. «Only five major (Category 3+) hurricanes have been recorded in the Atlantic before the first week of July,» hurricane expert Michael Lowry posted on social media platform X. Barbados appeared to be spared from the worst of the storm but was still hit with high winds and pelting rain, though officials reported no injuries so far. Barbados seems to have «dodged a bullet,» Minister of Home Affairs and Information Wilfred Abrahams said in an online video, but nonetheless «gusts are still coming, the storm-force winds are still coming» he said. Homes and businesses were flooded in some areas, and fishing boats were damaged in Bridgetown. The storm prompted the cancellation of classes on Monday in several of the islands, while a meeting this week in Grenada of the Caribbean regional bloc CARICOM was postponed. At 0000 GMT Tuesday, the storm was moving away from the Windward Islands and into the Caribbean Sea. «Beryl is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane as it moves over the eastern Caribbean» Tuesday, the NHC said, adding that Jamaica had issued a hurricane warning, ahead of the storm's expected arrival on Wednesday. The NHC also warned the Cayman Islands and areas on the Yucatan Peninsula to monitor the storm's progress. - Extreme weather - A Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale is considered a major hurricane, and a Category 4 storm packs sustained winds of at least 130 miles per hour. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in late May that it expects this year to be an «extraordinary» hurricane season, with up to seven storms of Category 3 or higher. The agency cited warm Atlantic Ocean temperatures and conditions related to the weather phenomenon La Nina in the Pacific for the expected increase in storms. Extreme weather events including hurricanes have become more frequent and more devastating in recent years as a result of climate change. © Agence France-Presse

SINGAPORE — About two weeks since an incident between two vessels caused an oil spill and blackened some of Sentosa's beaches, footfall at the International Food Street on the island has nosedived by about 80 per cent and revenue has tumbled by more than 50 per cent. Food and beverage supervisor Tasha Daniel, 26, said business worsened in the second week after the oil spill, when the food street — comprising six food kiosks at the Central Beach Bazaar — drew a daily revenue of $1,000 to $2,000. This is lower than the $3,000 earned daily in the week after the oil spill, and less than half of the $6,000 or more the food street raked in every day before the incident, said Daniel.  Waterfront businesses have seen takings and footfall tumble after the oil spill on June 14 stained Singapore's shores, forcing some beaches to close and water-based activities to stop. F&B establishments and an adventure sports centre on Sentosa reported lower foot traffic and earnings, while businesses at East Coast Park were less affected. Vessel charter companies have also taken a beating.

A 21-year-old man is expected to be charged with causing death by rash act on Tuesday (July 2). According to the police, the man was arrested on Monday for his suspected involvement in the death of a 33-year-old man, whose body was retrieved from the Singapore River following a search the day before. The police said that they received a call for assistance about a man who had fallen into the waters of Singapore River on June 30 at about 10.15pm. The Singapore Civil Defence Force deployed divers from its Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team to perform an underwater search and subsequently retrieved the body of the older man.  He was pronounced dead at the scene. The police identified the suspect through investigations as well as the help of police cameras and CCTV images. The two men allegedly had an argument over a woman near Clarke Quay Central after drinking. The suspect allegedly pushed the deceased into the river, reported Lianhe Zaobao. If convicted, the suspect faces a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine, or both.

The parties discussed current issues of Belarusian-Russian cooperation, highly praised the results achieved in the course of cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, outlined promising areas of work and agreed to continue contacts

It is expected that the head of the Cuban military department will participate in the parade that will be held in Minsk on July 3

The US Democratic Party could formally nominate Joe Biden as their presidential candidate as early as July 21 Read Full Article at RT.com

President Joe Biden has attacked the Supreme Court over its ruling that US presidents have “absolute immunity” for their official actions Read Full Article at RT.com

West Jerusalem’s potential transfer of US-made Patriot sysytems to Kiev could backfire, Moscow’s ambassador to the UN has said Read Full Article at RT.com

ANKARA, Turkey (HOL) – Diplomatic efforts took a significant turn as the foreign ministers of Somalia and Ethiopia met in Ankara on July 1, 2024, to address escalating tensions between the two nations. Facilitated by Turkey, this meeting marks a new step towards discussing the highly contentious Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU that has rattled regional stability in the Horn of Africa.

"Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living,” The words uttered by Mahatma Gandhi during his fight for freedom. These words serve as a poignant reminder of the struggles and sacrifices our forefathers endured in their pursuit of liberty. On June 26, 1960, the northern protectorate of Somalia gained independence from Britain and Five days later on July 1, 1960, the south Italian protectorate and British northern united forming the Republic of Somalia under President Aden Abdullah Osman, Prime Minister Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, and a 123-member National Assembly representing both territories. The words of Mahatma Gandhi have led to a reflection on just how far our country has come, the victories we have achieved, and the challenges we still face.

President Joe Biden called the Supreme Court's immunity decision 'dangerous' and said it would embolden former President Donald Trump.

Ronaldo had the opportunity to score the winner from the penalty spot in extra time but his effort was kept out by Slovenia goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

British-American actress Lucy, 30, showed off her bright pink hair as she led the stars at day one of Wimbledon on Monday.

Labour's plan to water down anti-strike laws will plunge Britain back into the 'bad old days' of 1970s-style snap walkouts or spark huge tax hikes, the Tories warned last night.

Jill Biden insists she and her husband 'will continue to fight' despite his catastrophic TV debate performance.

The president and his aides signal their intent to push ahead as the party anxiously awaits the post-debate polls.

The decision raised fears that a future president will be able to act with impunity because official acts have been deemed off limits from prosecution.

Biden says the court removed restraints on presidents, including Trump

Hungarian Prime Minister expressed the hope that right-wing conservative forces will be able to bring about changes in the EU

SINGAPORE – Logistics technology company Ninja Van has laid off 5 per cent of its workforce in Singapore, it said on July 1, as the firm retools itself for its expansion into new logistics segments that was announced in April. There are about 450 staff based at its Singapore corporate headquarters in Kay Siang Road, near the Tanglin area, with those working in technology numbering over 100 in the Republic overall. A LinkedIn search shows over 4,500 people who reported currently working for Ninja Van, which operates in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand. The firm also has a technology team based in Hyderabad, India. The latest round of layoffs follows an exercise on April 30 that cut about 10 per cent of its tech team and drew flak from the National Trades Union Congress for its timing – a day before May Day. The earlier exercise came after Ninja Van’s chief executive and co-founder Lai Chang Wen revealed in March that the company would put off plans for an initial public offering amid profitability challenges.

Police have opened a section of a major highway in west-central Alberta that had been blocked by a grass fire.

Halifax Water is warning residents there is a possibility of unsafe drinking water in areas within the Halifax Regional Municipality, and are advising its residents to boil all water for consumption and use for at least one minute.

Live updates from the 2024 campaign trail, with the latest news on presidential candidates, polls, primaries and more.

Lufthansa has announced a temporary suspension of night flights to Lebanon due to Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah Read Full Article at RT.com

The fallout from the American president’s addled performance shows the real nature of Washington’s “democracy” and its empire Read Full Article at RT.com

Kiev is recruiting prison inmates to replace combat losses but is reportedly in no shape to mount offensive operations any time soon Read Full Article at RT.com

The Muslim community of Dagestan has announced it will ban a type of face veil on religious grounds, after deadly terrorist attacks Read Full Article at RT.com

Trade, finance and construction drove Russia’s GDP up and propelled it into the top category, in spite of Western sanctions Read Full Article at RT.com

RIYADH: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation held an international symposium on Jerusalem and the Gaza war at the organization’s headquarters in Jeddah on Monday. Organized in conjunction with the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the symposium was titled: “Jerusalem and the Gaza War: Palestinian Identity and Existence Under Threat of Erasure.”

RIYADH: Air carrier Flynas has launched Saudi Arabia’s first program to train airline cabin crew in sign language. According to a recent report by Saudi Press Agency, the program is being implemented in collaboration with the Saudi Association for Hearing Impairment, and is part of Flynas’ efforts to adopt sustainable initiatives that positively impact society.

JEDDAH: Warner Bros. Discovery’s new indoor entertainment destination in Jeddah is showcasing six concept zones inspired by some of cinema’s most iconic stories. The venue includes “Batman,” “Tom and Jerry” and “Harry Potter” zones, alongside areas for shoppers. Enthusiasts will be able to delve into Batman’s storied history and evolution with comic book displays, as well as interactive virtual and augmented reality games.