Premature babies evacuated from besieged Gaza hospital arrive in Egypt

Israeli military: ‘Terrorists opened fire from within Indonesian Hospital’

Earlier we reported that the director of the Indonesia Hospital in northern Gaza had told the BBC 10 people had been killed in an Israeli air strike there.

The BBC has verified footage showing tanks close to the hospital – the director said there were tanks just 20m from the building.

We’ve now heard from the Israeli military in response to these reports.

“Overnight, terrorists opened fire from within the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza toward IDF troops operating outside the hospital,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

“In response, IDF troops directly targeted the specific source of enemy fire. No shells were fired toward the hospital,” the IDF added.

The IDF also said that despite challenges of fighting “a terrorist organisation which operates out of hospitals”, it was committed to international law and took “numerous measures to minimise harm to non-combatants”.

Over 13,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel began attacking the enclave after Hamas’s attacks on 7 October, in which 1,200 Israelis were kiled.

The richest 10% of people in many countries cause up to 40 times more climate-heating carbon emissions than the poorest 10% of their fellow citizens, according to data obtained by the Guardian.

Failing to account for this huge divide when making policies to cut emissions can cause a backlash over the affordability of climate action, experts say.

The world’s richest 10% encompasses most of the middle classes in developed countries – anyone paid more than about $40,000 (£32,000) a year. The lavish lifestyles of the very rich – the 1% – attract attention. But the 10% are responsible for half of all global emissions, making them key to ending the climate crisis.

 

German police arrest 18-year-old over far-right attack plot

Authorities in the state of Hesse say the man is suspected of planning a “serious state-endangering act of violence” and of violating German firearms laws. Investigations have been running for several months.

An 18-year-old man is in detention on suspicion of plotting a violent attack, the criminal police office (LKA) for the German state of Hesse and the public prosecutors office in Frankfurt said in a joint statment issued on Monday.

“The suspicion of preparing a serious state-endangering act of violence and of violating firearms laws stands against him,” authorities said. “The 18-year-old repeatedly threatened in pertinent [online] forums to want to kill people for the advancement of his political goals. The existing investigations revealed a hardened, violent, antisemitic and far-right fundamental attitude.”

Brazil grapples with extreme weather as heatwave sweeps nation

A massive heatwave last week swept across large parts of Brazil including major city Rio de Janeiro where US singer Taylor Swift was forced to reschedule a show after the death of an audience member. “The problem isn’t only the heat … [but] ferocious tropical storms, high winds and hail stones”, FRANCE 24’s Tim Vickery said, adding that Brazil has also witnessed landslides provoked by torrential rain in past summers.

N Korea criticizes potential sale of U.S. missiles to Japan, S Korea

North Korea on Monday denounced the United States’ potential sale of missiles to Japan and South Korea, calling it a dangerous act that raises tension in the region and brings a new arms race, state media reported.

In a statement carried by the KCNA news agency, the North’s defense ministry said Pyongyang will step up measures to establish deterrence and respond to instability in the region, which it said was caused by the United States and its allies.

Japan plans to buy 400 Tomahawk missiles from the United States, part of its biggest military build-up since World War II. The Pentagon said on Friday the U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale in a deal valued at $2.35 billion.

China calls for ‘urgent’ action on Gaza as Muslim majority nations arrive in Beijing

Editors note: China severely oppresses its minority Muslim population

The world must “must act urgently” to stem the conflict in Gaza, China’s top diplomat said Monday during a meeting with officials from Arab and Muslim majority nations, as Beijing steps up its efforts to play a role in establishing ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian National Authority, and Indonesia, as well as the head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for a two-day visit to the Chinese capital, the start of the delegation’s expected tour of several world capitals.

“The international community must act urgently, taking effective measures to prevent this tragedy from spreading. China firmly stands with justice and fairness in this conflict,” Wang told the visiting leaders in opening remarks ahead of talks, where he reiterated China’s call for an immediate ceasefire.