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2 hours ago
Greek coast guard says over 600 migrants rescued from 2 fishing boats
ATHENS, Greece -- More than 600 migrants were rescued overnight and early Friday from two wooden fishing boats found sailing miles (kilometers) from the southernmost part of Greece, the country's coast guard said. The first fishing boat, carrying 352 people, was spotted overnight about 30 nautical miles (35 miles, 55 kilometers) south of the tiny island of Gavdos, the coast guard said. Passengers were rescued by a ship from the European border patrol agency FRONTEX, aided by a coast guard patrol boat and four other vessels. The second was found 50 nautical miles (about 60 miles, 90 kilometers) south of the island of Crete with 278 people on board. The passengers were picked up by a passing Portuguese-flagged cargo ship. In both cases, the migrants were transported to Crete. There was no immediate information on the nationalities of those on board the two fishing boats. Another two boats carrying migrants were located in the same area on Thursday, the coast guard said. One, carrying 73 men, was found south of Gavdos and another with 26 people, including one woman and three minors, was found near the coast of southern Crete. The coast guard said those on the smaller boat told authorities they had set sail the previous evening from Tobruk in Libya, and had each paid smugglers either 4,000 euros ($5,500) for their passage to Greece. Two Sudanese teenagers, one aged 16 and the other 19, were arrested on suspicion of migrant smuggling after other passengers identified them as having been operating the boat. Greece has been on one of the preferred routes into the European Union for people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia for decades. Arrivals from neighboring Turkey to the east and the Libyan coast to the south spiked last year, with Greece recording more than 60,000 people arriving — the vast majority by sea — in 2024, compared to just over 48,000 the previous year, according to figures from the U.N. refugee agency. As of June 15 this year, a total of 16,290 arrivals were recorded, with more than 14,600 of those by sea. With authorities closely patrolling the eastern sea border with Turkey to prevent migrant boats reaching nearby Greek islands, smugglers appear to be increasingly opting for the much longer and riskier Mediterranean Sea crossing from the north African coast to the southern tip of Greece, using larger boats into which they can cram more people.
3 hours ago
- Politics
Europeans see a 'opportunity' for diplomacy as they meet Iran's top diplomat
GENEVA -- Iran's foreign minister plans to meet in Geneva on Friday with leading European counterparts, who hope to open a window for a diplomatic solution to the week-old military conflict that has seen Israeli airstrikes target Iranian nuclear and military sites and Tehran firing back. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who will meet Iran's Abbas Araghchi together with his French and German counterparts and the European Union's foreign policy chief, said that 'a window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution.' The talks will be the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials since the start of the conflict. Lammy is traveling to Geneva after meeting in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff. Trump has been weighing whether to attack Iran by striking its well-defended Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried under a mountain and widely considered to be out of reach of all but America's 'bunker-buster' bombs. He said Wednesday that he'll decide within two weeks whether the U.S. military will get directly involved in the war given the 'substantial chance' for renewed negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program. 'Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one,' Lammy said. Israel says it launched its airstrike campaign last week to stop Iran from getting closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon. Iran and the United States had been negotiating over the possibility of a new diplomatic deal over Tehran's program, though Trump has said Israel's campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks. Iran's supreme leader rejected U.S. calls for surrender Wednesday and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause 'irreparable damage to them.' Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, though it was the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. The three European countries, commonly referred to as the E3, played an important role in the negotiations over the original 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. But they have repeatedly threatened to reinstate sanctions that were lifted under the deal if Iran does not improve its cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Germany's foreign minister acknowledged that years of efforts to relieve concerns about the possibility of Iran developing a nuclear weapon haven't succeeded, but said it's worth talking now. 'It is our commitment once again to undertake a very intensive attempt to dissuade Iran permanently from pursuing such plans,' Johann Wadephul said in a podcast released by broadcaster MDR on Friday. 'If there is serious and transparent readiness by Iran to refrain from this, then there is a real chance of preventing a further escalation of this conflict, and for that every conversation makes sense.' Wadephul said U.S. officials 'not only know that we are conducting these talks but are very much in agreement with us doing so — so I think Iran should now know that it should conduct these talks with a new seriousness and reliability.' French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by phone with Rubio on Thursday evening. A French diplomatic official, who was not allowed to speak publicly on the issue, said Barrot detailed the purposes of the Geneva meeting and Rubio 'stressed that the U.S. was ready for direct contact with the Iranians at any time.' —- the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. —-
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan to Lead Charge on International Rules for Space Debris Removal; U.K., N.Z., Developing Countries Eyed as Partners
Courtesy of Astroscale Holdings Inc. A satellite operated by Astroscale Holdings Inc. captures an image of space debris created by a rocket launch. GENEVA — With the aim of creating international rules for space debris removal, the government is set to form a group of like-minded countries to discuss related challenges. Japan aims to take the initiative in establishing the rules by leveraging its technological advantage in the field. Its goal is ensuring the security of outer space and expanding the space business market. Minoru Kiuchi, state minister for science and technology policy who is in charge of space policies, will reveal the plan at a U.N. meeting to be held in Vienna on Wednesday. Along with defunct satellites, debris is also generated by rocket launches. Such debris orbits the Earth at extremely high speeds, and the amount is rapidly increasing amid a surge in space development. According to NASA, there are currently more than 20,000 pieces of debris, both small and large. The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space compiled guidelines in 2007 due to the risk of collision between operational satellites or the International Space Station and space debris. The guidelines ask countries to design probes and satellites which do not generate space debris when launched. However, the guidelines are not legally binding, so any response by a country is voluntary. There are also no rules for the removal of existing space debris, raising concerns among companies seeking to enter the space business. In Japan, Astroscale Holdings Inc., a Tokyo-based startup, has been developing its own space debris capture technology where tools such as robotic arms on a satellite capture debris and drop it into the atmosphere where it burns up before reaching the surface. The company is a global leader in the field. The government has decided to take on establishing international rules with countries that share a common understanding of the importance of space debris removal. It plans to discuss legal issues such as the removal of space debris generated by other countries, envisioning the results to be incorporated into future U.N. guidelines. The government expects the United Kingdom and New Zealand, countries which share an understanding on developing international rules with Japan, as well as developing countries seeking to enter the space business, will be founder members of the group. Japan aims to take the initiative in establishing international rules as soon as possible, as space debris removal technology could potentially be utilized by a country to neutralize another's satellites. It also seeks to establish order in space to head off China, which aims to become the space power.
Nahar Net
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Israel killed and injured 500 children in Lebanon in 2024
From Gaza and Lebanon to the Democratic Republic of Congo, violence against children in conflict zones reached "unprecedented levels" in 2024, a United Nations annual report said Thursday. The report calls out Israel's military operations in Lebanon, where more than 500 children were killed or injured last year. "In 2024, violence against children in armed conflict reached unprecedented levels, with a staggering 25 percent surge in the number of grave violations in comparison with 2023," according to the report from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The report verified 41,370 grave violations against children in 2024 -- including 36,221 committed in 2024 and 5,149 committed previously but confirmed in 2024 -- the highest number since the monitoring tool was established nearly 30 years ago. The new high beats 2023, another record year, which itself represented a 21 percent increase over the preceding year. With more than 4,500 killed and 7,000 injured, children continue to bear "the brunt of relentless hostilities and indiscriminate attacks," the report said. There was also a marked increase in the number of child victims of multiple violations to 22,495. "The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball -- but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings -- should keep all of us awake at night," said Virginia Gamba, special representative of the U.N. secretary-general for children and armed conflict. "This must serve as a wake-up call. We are at the point of no return." The Israeli armed forces, which were named last year along with Palestinian Hamas, remain on the "list of shame" calling out those responsible for the violations. The Palestinian territories occupy the top spot in the dismal rankings, with more than 8,500 serious violations, the vast majority attributed to Israeli forces, including more than 4,800 in the Gaza Strip. This figure includes confirmation of 1,259 Palestinian children killed in Gaza, and the U.N. notes it is currently verifying information on an additional 4,470 children killed in 2024 in the war-torn territory. Also listed again is the Russian army for its actions in Ukraine, where the report records a 105 percent increase in serious violations between 2023 and 2024.
Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Europeans see a ‘window of opportunity' for diplomacy as they meet Iran's top diplomat
Lammy is traveling to Geneva after meeting in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff. Advertisement Trump has been weighing whether to attack Iran by striking its well-defended Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried under a mountain and widely considered to be out of reach of all but America's 'bunker-buster' bombs. He said Wednesday that he'll decide within two weeks whether the U.S. military will get directly involved in the war given the 'substantial chance' for renewed negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program. 'Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one,' Lammy said. Israel says it launched its airstrike campaign last week to stop Iran from getting closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon. Iran and the United States had been negotiating over the possibility of a new diplomatic deal over Tehran's program, though Trump has said Israel's campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks. Advertisement Iran's supreme leader Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, though it was the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. The three European countries, commonly referred to as the E3, played an important role in the negotiations over the original 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. But they have repeatedly threatened to reinstate sanctions that were lifted under the deal if Iran does not improve its cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Germany's foreign minister acknowledged that years of efforts to relieve concerns about the possibility of Iran developing a nuclear weapon haven't succeeded, but said it's worth talking now. 'It is our commitment once again to undertake a very intensive attempt to dissuade Iran permanently from pursuing such plans,' Johann Wadephul said in a podcast released by broadcaster MDR on Friday. 'If there is serious and transparent readiness by Iran to refrain from this, then there is a real chance of preventing a further escalation of this conflict, and for that every conversation makes sense.' Wadephul said U.S. officials 'not only know that we are conducting these talks but are very much in agreement with us doing so — so I think Iran should now know that it should conduct these talks with a new seriousness and reliability.' French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by phone with Rubio on Thursday evening. Advertisement A French diplomatic official, who was not allowed to speak publicly on the issue, said Barrot detailed the purposes of the Geneva meeting and Rubio 'stressed that the U.S. was ready for direct contact with the Iranians at any time.' Geir Moulson in Berlin, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.
