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AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU,JSE:ANG)said on Monday (March 31) that with the completion of its Tropicana renewables project it has created the largest hybrid power system in Australia’s mining sector.

First introduced by AngloGold in June 2023, the renewables project is a partnership with Pacific Energy (ASX:PEA), which will integrate 61 megawatts of wind and solar generation capacity at the Tropicana development.

Tropicana is located in Western Australia roughly 1,000 kilometres east of Perth and is a joint venture between AngloGold and fellow gold producer Regis Resources (ASX:RRL,OTC Pink:RGRNF).

The former holds a 70 percent interest in the project, while the latter owns the remaining 30 percent.

The renewables project is expected to reduce the Tropicana development’s natural gas consumption by approximately 50 percent and decrease carbon emissions by an average of 65,000 tonnes annually over the next decade. The project was completed on time, as construction began toward the end of 2023 and was expected to finish during Q1 2025.

“This project will enable a significant reduction in emissions while reducing both diesel and natural gas consumption and improving our overall security of energy supply,” said AngloGold CEO Alberto Calderon.

The project’s energy capacity is equivalent to powering between 40,000 and 50,000 average Australian homes annually. AngloGold believes Tropicana enhances its net asset value, underlining its status as a valuable investment.

In the long run, the renewables initiative will play a crucial role in AngloGold’s 2030 decarbonisation goal, which calls for a 30 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions based on its 2021 carbon emissions baseline.

Outlining the project’s environmental impact in a fact sheet, AngloGold compares it to planting 33 million trees annually, removing 23,000 cars from the road each year or eliminating 2.8 million long-haul flights per year.

Additionally, the plant is expected to reduce the Tropicana operation’s diesel consumption by 5.6 million litres annually and cut natural gas usage by 1.1 million gigajoules per year.

Pacific Energy was responsible for designing and constructing the expansion. The company also owns and operates the hybrid renewables-natural gas power station under a 10 year power purchase agreement.

Combined, the thermal and renewable power systems will provide a total capacity of 115 megawatts.

Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

The White House is reportedly considering an executive order aimed at expediting the process for deep-sea mining in international waters, according to a Reuters exclusive.

The potential order could allow US companies to bypass the United Nations-backed review system currently in place and seek faster approval from US regulatory agencies for the extraction of key critical minerals.

These minerals, including nickel and copper, are essential for industries ranging from technology to energy, and the push is part of a broader US strategy to reduce dependence on foreign supply chains, especially China.

The order could pave the way for companies to apply for permits through the US Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) instead of the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

The ISA has been working for years to develop a regulatory framework for deep-sea mining in international waters, but has faced delays due to ongoing debates over environmental and operational guidelines.

The Trump administration’s proposed move to fast-track mining permits is part of a broader “America First” agenda that prioritizes boosting domestic production of minerals critical for national security and technological infrastructure.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump invoked emergency powers to accelerate domestic mineral production.

This new executive order would extend that push to international waters, reinforcing the US commitment to reducing reliance on foreign sources, particularly China. China has strong control over supply of many key minerals, especially those vital for the defense and high-tech sectors. Recent steps from the US to secure alternative sources include the pursuit of potential partnerships with nations like Greenland and Ukraine for mineral extraction.

The executive order under consideration would allow American companies to extract seabed resources while following US regulations, sidestepping the slow-moving ISA process.

Regulatory disputes and growing frustration

Under current international law, deep-sea mining in international waters is governed by the ISA, which was established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

However, the ISA has yet to finalize its mining regulations, largely due to disputes over environmental issues, such as the impact of mining on marine ecosystems and biodiversity.

One major company, the Metals Company (TMC) (NASDAQ:TMC), which has been involved in deep-sea mining for over a decade, has expressed frustration over the ISA’s delays.

In a recent statement, TMC CEO Gerard Barron said while the company has invested heavily in developing environmentally responsible mining techniques, it has been unable to move forward due to the ISA’s lack of action.

“We believe we have sufficient knowledge to get started and prove we can manage environmental risks. What we need is a regulator with a robust regulatory regime, and who is willing to give our application a fair hearing,” he said.

TMC has already taken steps to apply for mining permits under existing US laws, and intends to submit its application for exploration licenses and recovery permits in the second quarter of 2025.

The ISA, which is composed of 36 member nations, recently held a council meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, where it once again failed to resolve critical regulatory issues surrounding deep-sea mining.

The meeting, which took place earlier this month, ended without an agreement on key amendments to the draft mining code that has been under discussion for years.

Delays from the ISA have led some companies, such as TMC, to seek alternatives. Barron has voiced support for a US-led permitting process, arguing that the US already has a robust framework under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act of 1980, which gives NOAA the authority to regulate deep-sea mining activities in international waters.

“Despite collaborating in good faith with the ISA for over a decade, it has not yet adopted the Regulations on the Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area in breach of its express treaty obligations under UNCLOS and the 1994 Agreement,” Barron continued, adding that the company is confident it can manage risks.

The ISA’s failure to resolve these issues has raised concerns among nations and companies that have staked claims in international waters. Bypassing the ISA could strain relations with countries that support its oversight role, especially those advocating for a global regulatory approach to ensure fair and sustainable resource extraction.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Tesla reported 336,000 vehicle deliveries in the first quarter of 2025, a 13% decline from a year ago, two days after the electric vehicle company’s stock wrapped up its worst quarter since 2022.

Here are the key numbers:

Investors were expecting Tesla to report deliveries of between 360,000 and 370,000 vehicles, according to StreetAccount. Tesla’s investor relations team sends a company-compiled consensus to select analysts, and said the average estimate was for around 377,590 deliveries. Prediction market company Kalshi on Tuesday released a forecast for Tesla deliveries of 352,000.

In the first quarter of 2024, Tesla reported 386,810 deliveries, and production of 433,371 vehicles.

Deliveries are the closest approximation of vehicle sales reported by Tesla but are not precisely defined in the company’s shareholder communications.

Tesla doesn’t break out sales and production by model or region. However, the company said that it produced 345,454 of its most popular Model 3 and Model Y cars and delivered 323,800 of them in the three months ending March 31.

The company reported 12,881 deliveries of its other models, including its angular steel Cybertruck.

During the quarter, Tesla faced planned, partial shutdowns in some of its factories that allowed the company to upgrade manufacturing lines to start producing a redesigned version of its popular Model Y SUV.

CEO Elon Musk recently said during an all-hands session with Tesla employees that he expects the Model Y to be the “best-selling car on Earth again this year.” 

But Tesla has to contend with an onslaught of EV competition and reputational damage. In the first quarter, the company was hit with waves of protests, boycotts and some criminal activity that targeted Tesla vehicles and facilities in response to Musk’s political rhetoric and his work as part of President Donald Trump’s second administration.

After spending $290 million to help return President Donald Trump to the White House, Musk is leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he’s slashing costs, eliminating regulations and cutting tens of thousands of federal jobs.

Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, has also involved himself in European politics, promoting the anti-immigrant AfD party in Germany in February’s elections. Tesla’s business on the continent is struggling.

Across 15 European countries, Tesla’s market share declined to 9.3% in the first quarter from 17.9% in the same period a year earlier, according to data tracked by EU-EVs.com. In Germany, Tesla’s market share in battery electric vehicles plummeted to 4% from about 16% over that stretch.

Sales of Tesla’s electric vehicles made in China came in at 78,828 in March, slumping 11.5% year-on-year, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association released Wednesday. The company is facing rising competition in the region from EV makers such as BYD.

Tesla shares sank 36% in the first quarter, their steepest drop since the fourth quarter of 2022 and third-biggest decline in the company’s 15 years on the public market. The drop wiped out $460 billion in market cap.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

United Airlines plans to add daily flights to Vietnam and Thailand in October, further expanding the network for the U.S. carrier that already has the most Asia service.

In the expansion, United is using a tactic that’s unusual in its network: Its airplanes from Los Angeles and San Francisco that are headed for Hong Kong will then go on to the two new destinations. The Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, service is set to begin on Oct. 26.

On Oct. 25, United plans to add a second daily nonstop flight from San Francisco to Manila, Philippines, and on Dec. 11, it will launch nonstops from San Francisco to Adelaide, Australia, which will operate three days a week.

The carrier has aggressively been adding far-flung destinations not served by rivals to its routes, like Nuuk, Greenland, and Bilbao, Spain, which start later this year. Getting the mix right is especially important as carriers seek to grow their lucrative loyalty programs and need attractive destinations to keep customers spending.

Bangkok, in particular, “is in even more demand now given the popularity of ‘White Lotus,’” Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president of network and global alliances, said of the HBO show.

He said the carrier isn’t planning on cutting any international routes for its upcoming winter schedule.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

WASHINGTON — Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told senators on Wednesday that he’s happy with the company’s progress improving manufacturing and safety practices following several accidents, including a near catastrophe last year.

Ortberg faced questioning from the Senate Commerce Committee about how the company will ensure that it doesn’t repeat past accidents or manufacturing defects, in his first hearing since he became CEO last August, tasked with turning the manufacturer around.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R.-Texas, the committee’s chairman, said he wants Boeing to succeed and invited company managers and factory workers to report to him their opinions on its turnaround plan. “Consider my door open,” he said.

Ortberg acknowledged the company still has more to do.

“Boeing has made serious missteps in recent years — and it is unacceptable. In response, we have made sweeping changes to the people, processes, and overall structure of our company,” Ortberg said in his testimony. “While there is still work ahead of us, these profound changes are underpinned by the deep commitment from all of us to the safety of our products and services.”

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg testifies on Capitol Hill on April 2.Brendan Smialowski / AFP – Getty Images

Boeing executives have worked for years to put the lasting impact of two fatal crashes of its best-selling Max plane behind it. 

Ortberg said Boeing is in discussions with the Justice Department for a revised plea agreement stemming from a federal fraud charge in the development of Boeing’s best-selling 737 Maxes. The previous plea deal, reached last July, was later rejected by a federal judge, who last month set a trial date for June 23 if a new deal isn’t reached.

Boeing had agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government, pay up to $487.2 million and install a corporate monitor at the company for three years.

“We’re in the process right now of going back with the DOJ and coming up with an alternate agreement,” Ortberg said during the hearing. “I want this resolved as fast as anybody. We’re still in discussions and hopefully we’ll have a new agreement here soon.”

Asked by Sen. Maria Cantwell, the ranking Democrat on the committee, whether he had an issue with having a corporate monitor, Ortberg replied: “I don’t personally have a problem, no.”

Ortberg and other Boeing executives have recently outlined improvements across the manufacturer’s production lines, such as reducing defects and risks from so-called traveled works, or doing tasks out of sequence, in recent months, as well as wins like a contract worth more than $20 billion to build the United States’ next generation fighter jet.

But lawmakers and regulators have maintained heightened scrutiny on the company, a top U.S. exporter.

“Boeing has been a great American manufacturer and all of us should want to see it thrive,” Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican and chairman of the committee, said in a statement in February announcing the hearing. “Given Boeing’s past missteps and problems, the flying public deserves to hear what changes are being made to rehabilitate the company’s tarnished reputation.”

The Federal Aviation Administration last year capped Boeing’s production of its 737 Max planes at 38 a month following the January 2024 door plug blowout. The agency plans to keep that limit in place, though Boeing is producing below that level.

Ortberg said at the hearing Wednesday that the company could work up to production rate of 38 Max planes a month or even higher sometime this year, but said Boeing wouldn’t push it if the production line isn’t stable.

Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said at a Senate hearing last week that the agency’s oversight of the company “extends to ongoing monitoring of Boeing’s manufacturing practices, maintenance procedures, and software updates.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Retailers and brands have turned to Vietnam to manufacture goods from sneakers to couches while moving some or all production out of China.

For years, China’s southern neighbor became a popular alternative for companies trying to avoid the crossfire of U.S. trade tensions with Beijing. Now, as President Donald Trump expands his tariff targets, they can no longer steer clear.

Trump said he will put a 46% duty on imports from Vietnam as part of a new wave of global levies announced Wednesday. That could soon raise costs for major corporations in the apparel, furniture and toy space, and some of them may pass those increases to consumers in the form of price hikes. The tariffs on Vietnam take effect on April 9.

China exported more goods to the U.S. than any other country for more than two decades, but Mexico surpassed China as the top source in 2023. China is now the second largest supplier to the U.S., accounting for $438.9 billion worth of goods in 2024, according to government data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

For companies that have looked to diversify the countries they rely on for production and reduce risks from trade conflicts with China, Vietnam has also become a popular place to go. Imports from Vietnam grew to $136.6 billion in 2024, up about 19% from 2023, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

On the other hand, imports from China rose only 2.8% from 2023 to 2024, according to government data. Imports from China dropped about 18% last year when compared to 2022, when the U.S. brought in $536.3 billion in goods from the country.

The duties will hit companies at a time when many consumers have become value-conscious and selective about spending due to persistent inflation and concerns about the economy. While it is unclear now which companies will raise prices due to the tariffs, businesses may be reluctant to shoulder the higher costs as they forecast lackluster spending in the months ahead.

Some household names will feel the pinch from Vietnam tariffs. Nike manufacturers about half of its footwear in China and Vietnam, with about 25% coming from Vietnam. Trump will put a 34% tariff on top of existing 20% duties on imports from China, for an apparent rate of 54%, a White House official told CNBC.

The tariffs would be yet another headwind for the sneaker and athletic apparel giant, which already delivered a disappointing forecast for the current quarter. That guidance, which projects a double-digit percentage sales decline in the three-month period, included the estimated impact from tariffs on imports from China and Mexico.

Expanded tariffs could stall or slow Nike’s efforts to revive its brand and improve sales under its new CEO Elliott Hill, a company veteran who took the helm last fall.

Nike shares dropped more than 6% in extended trading Wednesday. Adidas and other major footwear players also rely heavily on Vietnam.

The two companies did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Nearly a third of footwear imports in the U.S. came from Vietnam in 2023, the most recent full-year data available, according to the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, an industry trade group.

Steve Madden, for example, said on an earnings call in early November that it would slash its imports to the U.S. from China by as much as 45% over the next year. The footwear maker made that announcement just days after Trump’s presidential victory, following his campaign trail promises to impose steep tariffs on countries like China.

Yet one of the nations Steve Madden has accelerated its move to is Vietnam, along with Cambodia, Mexico and Brazil, CEO Edward Rosenfeld said at the time on the earnings call.

Vietnam was the second largest country for suppliers of Ugg and Hoka parent company Deckers Brands as of this month. The company has 68 supply chain partners in Vietnam, which is surpassed only by its 125 suppliers in China. Deckers shares dropped nearly 9% in extended trading. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

VF Corporation, which is made up of footwear, apparel and accessories brands including The North Face, Timberland, Vans and Jansport, has a heavy reliance on China and Vietnam, too. About 38% of its suppliers are in China and 17% are in Vietnam, adding up to 55% of exposure across the two countries, according to a manufacturing disclosure from December.

The company’s shares dropped more than 8% in extended trading Wednesday. VF declined to comment, citing its quiet period before its upcoming earnings report.

The furniture industry has also ramped up its reliance on Vietnam.

In 2023, 26.5% of U.S. furniture imports came from the country, close behind the 29% coming from China, according to data from the Home Furnishings Association, a trade group that lobbies on behalf of home goods retailers. The group cited investment banking firm Mann, Armistead & Epperson — one of the furniture industry’s top sources for data.

Taken together, that means about 56% of U.S. furniture imports come from both regions combined.

On an earnings call in February, Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah said the shift to countries outside of China has been “a growing trend” since Trump enacted tariffs during his first administration.

He said places like Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam “have grown as places where folks have factories and where our goods are coming from.”

Wayfair’s stock plunged about 12% in extended trading. In a statement, Wayfair said it is “closely monitoring the evolving trade landscape.” The company added it is “well-positioned to continue offering customers the best possible combination of value, assortment, and experience.”

Toymakers have also leaned on Vietnam to make more merchandise that’s imported and sold to kids and adults across the U.S. Hasbro, SpinMaster, Mattel and Crayola are among the companies that work with GFT Group, one of the largest toy manufacturers in the Southeast Asia.

In addition to long-established manufacturing facilities in China, GFT currently has five production facilities in northern Vietnam that employ over 15,000 workers.

On a call in early March, Funko Chief Financial Officer Yves LePendeven said the company, which is known for its big-eyed plastic collectibles called Pops, was working hard to control what it could in the year ahead. That includes trying to offset tariffs by “renegotiating factory costs, accelerating our shift in production to other sourcing countries, and implementing pricing adjustments,” he said.

On the call, he said about a third of Funko’s global product purchases come from China. He didn’t name the countries that Funko was moving production to, but it is a customer of GFT Group.

Those toymakers did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.

Curtis McGill is the co-founder of Hey Buddy Hey Pal, a toy company that specializes in Easter egg decorating kits. He said he expects the 46% tariffs to raise toy costs in the U.S., but added companies will likely be negotiating with suppliers in Vietnam to try to mitigate those hikes.

“A lot of manufacturers and the actual toy companies have been already having conversations with manufacturing plants having to to help in some regards, because the toy companies are getting pressure to try and maintain prices on this side from the retailers,” McGill said.

For companies, including apparel makers, the new tariff policies have raised questions about whether — and where — to potentially move their manufacturing. Last month, an investor asked American Eagle Outfitters about its exposure to Vietnam on its most recent earnings call.

Chief Financial Officer Michael Mathias said the jeans and apparel brand’s production is similar in Vietnam and China, with “high-teens to 20%” of production in each of those countries. He said the company aims to trim that back to single-digits by the back half of the year.

American Eagle shares dipped more than 5% on Wednesday. The company did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

Yet both Mathias and American Eagle CEO Jay Schottenstein said on the company’s last earnings call that it will be crucial to stay flexible, while waiting to see how tariffs would play out and which countries would be targeted.

Schottenstein referred to eight years ago during the first Trump administration, when American Eagle also faced challenges and had to figure out a new plan.

Schottenstein said there’s another shift coming, but “nobody knows what the story is yet.”

“I wouldn’t be rushing,” he said. “You go rush, where am I rushing to? I don’t know where I’m rushing to.”

Peter Baum is the chief financial officer and chief operation officer of Baum Essex, a New York-based manufacturer with licenses to make products for brands like Nautica, Betsey Johnson and Steve Madden. During the first Trump administration in 2019, Baum moved factories from from China to the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and India.

He told CNBC on Wednesday that the reciprocal tariffs would do massive damage to his company.

“This is how you start a global depression. After 80 years and five generations Trump just put us out of business,” Baum said.

— CNBC’s Sarah Whitten, Jason Gewirtz and Eamon Javers contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

NATO member Finland plans to quit a global convention banning anti-personnel landmines and boost defense spending to at least 3% of GDP by 2029 in response to the evolving military threat from Russia, the government said on Tuesday.

Poland and the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said last month they would withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa convention due to threats posed by neighboring Russia.

By leaving the treaty, Finland, which guards NATO’s longest border with Russia, could start stockpiling landmines again to have them at hand should a need arise.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo told a press conference there was no immediate military threat to his Nordic nation, but that Russia poses a long-term danger to all of Europe.

“Withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention will give us the possibility to prepare for the changes in the security environment in a more versatile way,” he said.

He added that Finland would allocate an additional 3 billion euros ($3.24 billion) to defense, raising the level of military spending from 2.41% in 2024 to 3% of gross domestic product by 2029.

President Alexander Stubb said in a post on X: “This is a part of Finland’s contribution to Europe taking greater responsibility for our own defense.”

The announcements come with US President Donald Trump doubling down on ending the war in Ukraine, which has stirred growing Polish and Baltic concerns that Russia could re-arm and target them instead.

Finland joined the NATO military alliance in 2023 in a policy shift away from decades of nonalignment triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, drawing a Russian threat of “counter-measures.”

Finland began considering withdrawal from the Ottawa treaty last November when its military commander said the matter should be discussed due to Russia’s use of such weapons in Ukraine.

“Finland will use mines in a responsible way, but it’s a deterrent we need,” Agriculture and Forestry Minister Sari Essayah told reporters on Tuesday.

Anti-personnel landmines are designed to be hidden in the ground and detonate automatically when someone steps on them or passes by in their proximity.

Finland destroyed over 1 million landmines after 2012, becoming the last EU state to sign the Ottawa convention, which has been ratified or acceded to by more than 160 countries – but not by Russia.

The 1997 treaty was one of a series of international agreements concluded after the end of the Cold War to encourage global disarmament. Anti-landmine campaigners won the Nobel Peace Prize that same year.

Mines have killed or maimed tens of thousands of civilians around the world, many of them long after wars have ended.

Leaving the treaty will require approval by the Finnish parliament but is expected to pass given widespread support among government and opposition parties.

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Two close associates of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been remanded in custody for three days, following their arrest on Monday by Israeli police in connection with an investigation into suspected unlawful ties between the senior aides and Qatar, a case that has become known as QatarGate.

An Israeli court on Tuesday extended the initial detention of Yonatan Urich, Netanyahu’s closest adviser, and former aide Eli Feldstein by three days, saying their release would disrupt an investigation into their suspected involvement in conducting public relations for Qatar. The judge denied the police’s original request for a nine-day detention to conduct their investigation.

In court, the judge stated that a review of the classified materials submitted indicated reasonable suspicion that an American company had contacted one of the suspects to spread negative messages about Egypt, and downplay its role in mediation efforts to release all the October 7 hostages and reach a permanent ceasefire.

Court documents show that Yonatan and Feldstein are suspected by prosecutors to have taken bribes and “worked to transfer messages to journalists in a manner that presented sympathetic articles about Qatar in the media, minimizing Egypt’s role as a fair mediator in the deal, while dictating the media agenda.”

The judge declared that a previous gag order on the proceedings had been rendered meaningless because it had been widely disregarded.

Netanyahu also gave testimony on the case to police on Monday, according to a video the prime minister released on his Telegram account. He has claimed the case is politically motivated.

“It’s a political investigation, a political hunt, that’s all this is, there’s nothing else,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu has also claimed the investigation is aimed at preventing him from dismissing Ronen Bar, head of the country’s internal security service Shin Bet.

The agency is reported to have recently opened an investigation into allegations that members of Netanyahu’s office inappropriately lobbied on behalf of Qatar – something his office denies.

Israeli media has recently cited Netanyahu’s attempt to disrupt an investigation into QatarGate as his reason for seeking the removal of both Bar and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

Despite naming on Monday former navy commander Vice Adm. Eli Sharvit as his pick for the next Shin Bet chief, Netanyahu’s move to dismiss the current head still faces a legal challenge.

The Shin Bet, which monitors domestic threats to Israel, conducted an internal investigation into the October 7, 2023 attacks that determined the agency had “failed in its mission” to prevent Hamas’ deadly assault and kidnapping spree. But it also blamed policies enacted by Netanyahu’s government as contributing factors.

Among them, the Shin Bet said, were Qatar’s years-long payments to Hamas. Those payments were blessed by Israel, whose government believed it was beneficial to drive a political wedge between Gaza and the West Bank.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said the arrest of two of Netanyahu’s aides “is a breach of trust, a threat to national security, and a severe harm to Israel’s credibility and standing in the world,” warning that “Netanyahu cannot absolve himself of responsibility.”

“If he knew – he is complicit in a terrible failure. If he didn’t know – he is unfit to continue serving as the Prime Minister of Israel,” Lapid said in a statement Tuesday.

Another opposition figure, Benny Gantz, also criticized Netanyahu, saying: “The more the ‘QatarGate’ investigation advances, the more determined Netanyahu becomes in his battle against the institutions responsible for the investigation. The deeper the investigation – the deeper the subversion.”

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A 22-year-old Palestinian man was tortured and killed by Hamas militants after he criticized the group publicly and participated in rare anti-Hamas protests in Gaza, his family said.

Hassan said his brother had altercations with members of the group around a month before his death and had expressed fears that militants would come for him.

Uday Rabie had also participated alongside thousands of others in anti-Hamas and anti-war protests that took place in the enclave earlier last week, his brother said. Rabie demonstrated in the al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City, Hassan said, chanting “No to Hamas” during the rally.

Last Friday, a group of armed men affiliated with the Al-Qassam Brigades kidnapped and then tortured Rabie, Hassan said. The Palestinian man was taken off the street, days after he protested.

“He was still alive” when the militants returned him, Hassan said. Rabie was only wearing underwear and the fighters had him “tied by the neck with a rope, and were dragging him, beating him,” Hassan added.

“They handed him over to me, and told me, in these words: This is the fate of everyone who disrespects Al-Qassam Brigades and speaks ill of them,” Hassan said.

Hassan said he collected his injured brother and took him to a nearby hospital. Footage shared on social media showed Rabie lying on a hospital bed, covered in large cuts and bruises that stretched along his arms, back and feet. Hassan confirmed the authenticity of the video, and said the man on the bed was indeed his brother.

Rabie died shortly after being taken to the hospital, he said.

Hassan, 32, said that the family is “sure” Rabie was killed by members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, and “we have half of their names.”

The Al-Qassam Brigades has not yet publicly commented on the accusations.

A written statement published by Rabie’s family on Facebook said that “a group claiming to be from Al-Qassam Brigades” kidnapped Rabie at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. After hours of searching for Rabie, the statement said, his family was told he was in the hands of the group, who said he needed to be “disciplined” for “cursing them.”

According to the statement, Rabie was “tortured in the most severe manner with all kinds of sharp and hard objects.” He suffered “internal bleeding,” as well as several injuries to the head, pelvis and back, his family said.

In the statement, Rabie’s family demanded retribution, and that Hamas bring those who killed him to justice.

In a video that his brother said was shot about a week before his death, Rabie is seen speaking into the camera: “They (Hamas) want to take me, they want to kill me … I don’t know what they want from me.”

Large demonstrations against Hamas have been held in northern Gaza in recent days as Palestinians call for end to a war in which more than 50,000 people have been killed during Israel’s military campaign following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

In a statement, the Independent Commission for Human Rights, a Palestinian rights organization established by former Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) head Yasser Arafat, condemned Rabie’s killing, saying it views “this crime as part of the deteriorating security chaos, the proliferation of weapons, and the absence of the rule of law in Gaza, posing a serious threat to public rights and freedoms.”

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All bakeries in Gaza have closed due to a severe lack of fuel and flour caused by Israel’s near month-long blockade of humanitarian aid, according to local authorities.

“The occupation has forced all bakeries to shut down entirely, exacerbating the famine crisis that threatens the lives of innocent civilians, particularly children, patients, and the elderly,” the Hamas-controlled Government Media Office in Gaza said Tuesday.

The closures are likely to accelerate the spread of famine in the strip, the head of the local Bakery Owners’ Association, Abdel Nasser Al-Ajrami told the Palestinian Press Agency Safa.

The United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) said all 25 of its bakeries in the enclave had shut, citing the lack of flour and fuel.

“Hot meals are continuing, but supplies will last two weeks. WFP will distribute its last food parcels in the next two days,” said Abeer Etefa, the WFP’s communications officer for Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe.

“I went to every bakery. Every time we ask, they say there’s no flour due to the closure of the crossings. The Israelis control the crossings. We don’t know where to go,” Abdul Rahman Fattayeh said.

“I have 40 family members, and I’ve been searching for bread for them since 8 a.m., going around all the bakeries in Deir al-Balah. None are operating,” al-Kurd said. “There’s no flour, no firewood, nothing. Not even water. It’s dire,” he added.

The Israeli government shut down the supply of food and other humanitarian aid into Gaza in early March, in a bid to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages and impose new conditions on the extension of the ceasefire.

No aid has entered the enclave for more than three weeks, with the head of the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) saying that this is the longest Gaza has been without any supplies since the war began.

“During the ceasefire, 500–600 trucks arrived daily. Now, nothing,” Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, said last week.

Describing the latest blockade as the worst humanitarian crisis since the war began, Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network, warned the closure of bakeries would impact “hundreds of thousands of people” who rely on them for food.

“The coming days will be very critical on the lives and the health of the Palestinians in Gaza, mainly children, women, and elders,” Al-Shawa said Tuesday, urging the international community to pressure Israel into reopening the crossings.

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