Nicosia rejects Chevron’s improved optimization plan for the Aphrodite offshore gasfield, insisting that the 2019 development plan is binding. Chevron’s proposed revisions aim to reduce costs and output, but Nicosia is not satisfied with the lower revenue implications. The partners are considering their options in response to Nicosia’s rejection.
The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price rose to around .20 a barrel in the Asian session on Monday after Saudi Arabia raised June crude prices for most regions.
Thousands of Israelis protested, demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accept a ceasefire agreement with Hamas to bring back remaining Israeli hostages from Gaza. Families of hostages are desperate for their return, with some still missing since a Hamas attack in October. The protests come as international pressure mounts to end the seven-month war in Gaza. Netanyahu’s government is determined to continue the war until all hostages are returned, despite efforts for a ceasefire.
Police arrested at least 25 pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Virginia and cleared an encampment as tensions flared on campus. The protesters were violating university policies by setting up tents and using amplified sound. The protests are part of a larger movement across U.S. campuses calling for an end to the Gaza war and divestment from companies supporting Israel. Other campuses, like the University of Michigan, saw peaceful disruptions at graduation ceremonies by pro-Palestinian protesters. Many schools have called in police to quell protests, resulting in over 2,000 arrests nationwide. The protests have become a political flashpoint in a divisive U.S. election year.
Students at Trinity College Dublin and Lausanne University in Switzerland staged occupations to protest against Israel’s war in Gaza, joining demonstrations at U.S. campuses. In Dublin, students built an encampment that led the university to restrict campus access and close the Book of Kells exhibition. The protesters demanded Trinity cut academic ties with Israel and divest from companies with ties to Israel. In Lausanne, around 100 students occupied a building to support demands, including an end to scientific cooperation with Israel. The university said the occupation could continue until Monday as long as it did not disrupt campus work.
The Israeli cabinet has decided to shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel for the duration of the war in Gaza, citing national security concerns. The decision includes closing Al Jazeera’s offices, confiscating equipment, cutting off broadcasts, and blocking websites. Al Jazeera has been critical of Israel’s military operation in Gaza, but Israel has not mentioned Al Jazeera’s operations in Gaza in its statement. The closure is allowed under a law ratified by Israel’s parliament, and could last until the end of major military operations in Gaza.
An Israeli airstrike killed four members of a family in a house in a border village in southern Lebanon. Meiss al Jabal has suffered damage in exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of the war in Gaza last October. Hezbollah retaliated by firing rockets at an Israeli town. Both sides have not engaged in all-out war, with casualties reported on both sides. Hamas militants from Gaza conducted a cross-border raid that resulted in many casualties, with thousands of Palestinians killed and wounded in Israel’s response.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas demands to end the Gaza war in exchange for freeing hostages, stating that it would keep Hamas in power and pose a threat to Israel. Israel is willing to pause fighting to secure the release of over 130 hostages held by Hamas. Netanyahu expressed concern that if Hamas remained in power, they would continue carrying out massacres, rapes, and kidnappings. Hamas leaders in Cairo maintained their demand for an agreement to end the war in Gaza. The war began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, resulting in casualties and hostages. Israel’s military offensive has led to the deaths of over 34,600 Palestinians and caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Journalists covering environmental issues are facing increased violence worldwide, according to a report by UNESCO. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that press freedom is under threat, with dozens of journalists being killed while reporting on topics such as illegal mining and logging. The report revealed that only five out of 44 cases of murdered environmental journalists resulted in convictions. In Latin America, the protection of environmental defenders and freedom of expression are particularly urgent issues. The deaths of journalists in Gaza during Israel’s attacks were also condemned by Guterres and Chilean President Gabriel Boric.
Students at Trinity College Dublin have built an encampment in protest of Israel’s war in Gaza, leading to restricted campus access and the closure of the Book of Kells exhibition, a top tourist attraction in Ireland. The protest was sparked by a fine imposed on the students’ union by the university, not solely related to the Gaza conflict. The protesters are demanding that the university cut ties with Israeli institutions and divest from companies connected to Israel. Ireland has a history of supporting Palestinian rights, with plans to formally recognize Palestine as a state.