Israel approved plans Monday to seize the Gaza Strip and to stay in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time, two Israeli officials said, a move that if implemented, would vastly expand Israel’s operations there and likely draw fierce international opposition. The new plan, which was approved in an early morning vote by Israeli Cabinet ministers, also calls for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to move to Gaza’s south. That would likely amount to their forcible displacement and exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis. Details of the plan were not formally announced, and its exact timing and implementation were not clear. Its approval came...
Romanian PM Resigns And Pulls Out Of Coalition After Nationalist Vote Win
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has resigned and his Social Democrat party is to leave the government after a right-wing nationalist candidate won the first round of the presidential election. George Simion, a eurosceptic who has promised to put Romania first, won 40.9% of Sunday’s vote and is expected to win a run-off vote on 18 May. He will face liberal Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan, who narrowly defeated the Social Democrat (PSD) candidate. Sunday’s result plunged Romania – an EU state on Nato’s eastern flank – into further political turmoil. Ciolacu told colleagues that as their coalition had failed to...
Friedrich Merz’s Bid To Become Germany’s 10th Chancellor Fails First Ballot By Six Votes
Conservative leader Friedrich Merz ’s bid to become Germany’s 10th chancellor since World War II failed in the first round of voting in parliament on Tuesday by six votes, a vote he had been widely expected to win smoothly. Merz needed a majority of 316 out of 630 votes in a secret ballot. He only received 310 votes. The parties were now to regroup to discuss the next step but it was not immediately clear how long the process could take. The lower house of parliament — called the Bundestag — has 14 days to elect a candidate with an absolute majority. If...
China Zhao Becomes World Snooker Champion As He Claims Historic Victory Over Williams
Zhao Xintong made history as he became the first player from China to win the World Championship with an 18-12 victory over Mark Williams in Sheffield. The 28-year-old had extended his 11-6 overnight lead with a dominant display on Monday afternoon to begin the concluding session 17-8 ahead. Willed on by a buoyant Crucible crowd, three-time winner Williams compiled wonderful breaks of 101, 96 and 73 on his way to collecting the first four frames of the evening. And 40 years on from the iconic black-ball final when Dennis Taylor came from 8-0 and 9-1 down to defeat Steve Davis,...
Rihanna Confirms Third Pregnancy With A$AP Rocky
Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress Robyn Rihanna Fenty has confirmed she is expecting her third baby while attending the Met Gala in New York. The 37-year-old, already have two sons with her rapper partner A$AP Rocky also known as Rakim Mayers. A$AP Rocky, a co-chair of the event, confirmed the couple’s pregnancy newson the red carpet, thanking reporters who offered their congratulations on the red carpet stating: “Thank you, thank you, thank you, It is time to just show the people what we were cooking up. “I’m glad everybody’s happy for us because we’re definitely happy”, he added. The couple’s...
Officials Reveal Four People Killed Overnight In Ukraine
Four people were killed in Ukraine overnight and this morning in Russian strikes, Ukrainian officials say. According to BBC report, three were killed and seven injured in the north Sumy region, after Russia hit villages with guided aerial bombs, mortars and rockets. Strikes hit the villages of Vorozhba and Bilopillia, officials say, prompting emergency evacuations. Sumy is close to the Russian region of Kursk, where Russian officials say three people were killed overnight in Ukrainian strikes. Ukraine says some of its forces are still active inside Kursk, nine months after a surprise incursion there by Ukrainian troops. Separately, one person was...
Boat Believed To Be Carrying Migrants Capsizes Off California Coast, Leaving 3 Dead And 7 Missing
A small boat believed to be carrying migrants capsized early Monday off San Diego’s coast and left three people dead and four injured, while U.S. Coast Guard crews were searching for seven others, officials said. Initially nine people were reported missing but later two were found and detained, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Hunter Schnabel said. He did not know which agency detained the individuals or why. The U.S. Border Patrol did not immediately respond to an email asking if they were involved. U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Chris Sappey said it was unclear where the boat was coming from...
